Uzumaki's Zombie Kunoichi
by QuirkCirc
Summary: Just once, Tamotsu would like a day where he didn't run into a near-death scenario. Was it too much to ask? But life is rarely so simple and death even more so. Awoken in a time not his own and with a seal that has a mind of its own, it's up to Tamotsu to piece together the remnants of his broken clan- every scattered and forgotten soul. It's time to call his people home.
1. Tamotsu Uzumaki

**A/N: I've been working on this for a bit so HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ERIK!**

 **Basically, this whole fic was created around the idea of a 'what if...'**

 **If you want to find out what that 'what if' is then stick around for all the Uzumaki family feels.**

 **EDIT: WHOOPS! Something went wrong with the whole uploading thing. Hopefully, I fixed it**

 **EDIT 2: 7/26 Just fixing up some inconsistencies. No need to re-read though.**

 **ps If I get Kushina's eyes color wrong...well...screw you...It's hard finding her eye color!**

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" _Muggle women wear them, Archie, not the men, they wear these,' said the Ministry wizard, and he brandished the pinstriped trousers._

 _'I'm not putting them on,' said old Archie in indignation. 'I like a healthy breeze_ 'round _my privates, thanks."_ \- J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

\- J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

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Chapter 1: Tamotsu Uzumaki

Kushina didn't know what to make of the situation she found herself in. She knew that tensions were high with, ya know, all the animosity of war and death hanging over everybody's heads like a noose. But still, that was no excuse for her father! What was up with that? Sure, she wasn't what you'd call the perfect daughter. Some clan elders shared that sentiment. But who cared about what those old farts thought? was he acting so distant all of the sudden? He wouldn't even

There was no reason for this stupid, invisible wall her father had put up! It was very frustrating, leaving Kushina feeling confused and...hurt. He wouldn't even _look_ at her anymore. And if he did, he always looked so sad. No matter how much she rambled about ramen, acted out, and blatantly tugged on his sleeve for attention he would just give her _that_ smile. Ya, know. That sad smile your parents give you just before they tell you that your dog died or something. She understood that her father was a busy man, being clan head and all that, but that was no reason to just ignore her, damn it! What was she? Chopped liver?

Kushina puffed out her cheeks and huffed angrily. Even her mother was acting funny. Her own mother, 'ttebane!

It was almost like they were keeping something from her. Her eyes widened. Hold on second, maybe she was onto something here. Yeah...yeah, that's gotta be it! They _were_ hiding something from her. That has to be why they acting all weird. At least, she hoped that's why. The other stuff her mind was telling her wasn't really what she wanted to think about. Still, it made sense. It was kinda like that time around her fourth birthday. Her parents done everything short of locking themselves up in fear that she would find out too early about her surprise birthday party. She had found anyways, thanks to her grandaunt's loose mouth. But they hadn't outright ignored her not had they gotten all depressed when they did notice her. This was...this time was different...

Kushina bit her lip nervously and stared out her bedroom window. The sun was setting and everybody was on their way home after a long day. Some of the women walked in groups, chatting aimlessly. Others preferred to walk alone, strolling through the rowdy clan compound as its inhabitants settled in for the night. h their eyes

Her gray eyes zeroed in on a trio of shinobi. Their uniforms were dirty and one of them, the kunoichi in the middle, walked with a limp and had to rely on her other teammate for help. The third walked a little behind the two, a hollow look in their eyes. However, they wore such large smiles whenever they were approached by a clan member welcoming them back home or when someone came up asking about their welfare. But Kushina was a perceptive little girl. She saw under their mask. She saw it in the way they walked so closely together. Afraid that if they strayed too far from each other they'd lose them. She saw it in the way their smiles didn't quite reach their eyes, the orbs looking devoid of all light.

 _War._

Kushina looked away and pulled her legs close to her chest. She knew her clan was in trouble and her poor father was just busy worrying about everyone else. It was something that he'd taught her. The village, the clan, everyone who resided within was family. And family looked after family. Especially when they belonged to such a small village. Uzu only really had one ninja clan and its civilian population was rather tiny. As such, there was no need for a village leader seeing as they kinda already had one. Her father was dearly loved by the people and they trusted him to make the right choice for both the clan and village. This meant her dad made a lot of important decisions regarding the village as a whole. He wasn't the closest thing they had to kage. Tou-chan was a good man. He loved Uzu and more importantly he loved her and her Kaa-chan. He would never just hurt her like this if it wasn't for a good reason.

Her father was a good man. He loved Uzu and more importantly he loved her and her Kaa-chan more than life itself. He would never hurt her like this if it wasn't for a good reason.

She just wished she knew why. Maybe then this pain would be bearable.

The small child turned to the door as someone knocked.  
"Kushina-sama, Uzumaki-sama has summoned you," A gruff voice called through the screen door. Kushina quickly scrambled out of bed and ripped through the fragile paper door.

"REALLY!?" Kushina yelled excitedly, her face full of hope.  
The guard laughed and nodded, glad to see their number one troublemaker so eager again.  
A happy smile found its way on the child's cherub cheeks. Finally, after weeks of handling her father's aloofness, he was finally calling for her. She grinned and ran ahead of the guard to where she knew her father was waiting.

The guard watched her go with a smile on his face. That is until he realized he was going to have to repair the door. Again. He cursed under his breath and left to go get the necessary equipment

 **Hello, I am the God of page breaks. Kneel before me!**

Kushina burst into her father's study with much gusto. She grinned happily up at the middle-aged man waiting for her.

"TOU-CHAN! What's up!? Did you need me for something, 'ttebane-" She stopped mid exclamation. Why…why was he looking at her like that? Everything about was normal except his eyes... eyes filled with such sorrow had no place on her father! Her mother was also in the room, standing faithfully beside her husband. Was her mother crying!? Her mother never cried! She was the strongest woman she knew and to see her cry was… weird.

Kushina's eyes widened. Something terrible had happened. She could _feel_ it. Was the village in trouble? Had the war finally reached Uzu? Maybe the thing she'd been summoned for had something to do with the depressed air filling the room. Maybe someone's dog _had_ died…or worse.

Her mother subtly wiped at her face before she spoke.

"Hello, Kushi-chan." She turned slightly to her left. Kushina started. Ah! There was someone else in the room! How had she not noticed that? Kushina blinked and openly stared at the pretty lady standing next to her mother. "I want you meet someone."  
The girl gave the three people a confused look.

"Eh? What's going on?"  
Her father spoke to her for the first time in days, "Kushina, daughter, there is something we must tell you." The grave tone in her father's normal jovial voice had her on edge immediately. Kushina frowned slightly and looked at the stranger standing next to her mother and pointed to her at her rather bluntly.

"Does it have anything to do with her?" She asked.

The woman beside her mother flushed at the sudden attention. Her mother actually cracked a smile and her father chuckled lightly.

"Kushi-chan," her mother softly scolded, "where are your manners?" Kushina mumbled out an apology. Fire simmered in her mother's eyes. The two adults sweatdropped as her mother forcefully asked, "What was that? We couldn't quite hear you, _dear_."

Kushina blanched, "Eh!? Oh, er!" She turned to the unfamiliar person and bowed quickly. "S-Sorry! That was very rude of me to point like that!"  
Then, just like that, her mother's ire dissapeared.

She smiled and in a voice too sweet to normal she said, "Ah, much better, Kushi-chan."

All three of them blew out a sigh of relief. Their matriarch could be downright terrifying sometimes.

"As your mother mentioned before, Kushina, we want you meet someone." The sudden lightness that had momentarily returned to her parent's eyes faded as the newcomer fell into the limelight. "Please, introduce yourself, nephew."  
 _"Wha? Nephew? He's a boy?!"_ Kushina watched as the 'man' soundlessly stepped forward. She frowned. The dude looked...familiar. Now that she thought about it her father had a picture of him on his desk.

"Ah, yes, I a-apologize for not introducing m-myself earlier, Kushina-kun." The unknown shinobi pulled nervously on the wrapping covering his arms and hands.

The young girl's nose wrinkled. Why'd he call her '-kun'? Who is this guy? Does he know her? More importantly is really a guy? This was just too confusing!

"Hold your horses!" Kushina held up her hand. "Are you a boy or a girl? And be honest, 'ttebane!" She demanded, staring her 'cousin' down. "It's really hard to tell." The woman, boy, girl, ugh, _person_ sputtered indignantly as their face turned the same color that their clan was so renown for.

"W-What!? Of course I'm a b-boy, 'ttebaru!" He replied frantically. Kushina raised a red eyebrow.

"Are you sure? Have you checked?" The man's face, if possible, grew redder and his eyes widened at her gall. How could she ask such a personal question!? And at such a young age too!

Kushina continued her stare-down. She tapped her foot impatiently. Tamotsu wilted under her intense scrutiny.

Her father attempted to mask his chuckle with a polite cough. He was the clan head, after all. He had an image to uphold even in front of his family. His wife, on the other hand, held no such reservations. The Uzumaki woman erupted in laughter, unable to keep it in any longer.

She quickly composed herself, for her nephew's sake, and wiped a few stray tears from her eyes.

"Yes, Kushi-chan. He is indeed a boy." Her mother let loose another round of giggles. "I should know. I was there when he was delivered."

"Oba-sama!" The young man whined petulantly.

Lady Uzumaki, ever pristine and proper, snorted. Well, at least she _was_ in front of the council and visiting dignitaries. She slapped the poor boy good-naturedly on the back. "Haha, carry on, dear."

The _boy_ , as it turns out, composed himself and nodded shyly. He faced Kushina once more and the girl couldn't help but be suspicious all over again. He really did look like a girl, but he made for a very pretty man.

She squinted, studying him more, now that he was closer. She could fell him doing the same, his eyes scanning her person. He was older than her, that much was obvious- he was taller than her, but was shorter than both her father and mother. His shinobi uniform was worn, the flak jacket sporting quite a few ink stains that had been too stubborn to come out in the wash. The fact that he wore the standard, burgundy and grey ninja uniform of her village meant he was either a chuunin or a jounin. Either rank spoke years of experience far greater than her own.

But there was just something about him that was different. Most shinobi Kushina had met had this hardness to them. Jaded and disillusioned by a path so full of bloodshed and suffering. They hid it well, but she'd always been able to see through them. It made her sad and she worried what would happen to her once she graduated from the academy. Would she also don that mask? Would she be forced to go to war like the ninjas she'd seen earlier? What would happen when she assumed the mantle as head of the clan? Would she be ready?

However, Kushina didn't see any of that in her cousin. Yes, there was tenseness to him, but his overall countenance was...nice; soothing. His face was smooth and round (kinda like hers), his eyes were a really nice calming color that put her immediately at ease, and the soft aurora he emitted threw any evidence of his masculinity out the window. Seriously, this dude looked like a girl. She eyed his clothed body closely. He even had hips! And only girls had hips like that!

Wait. Something niggled at the back of her mind. There was feeling again. Kushina hummed quietly to herself and leaned closer, trying to catch a fleeting memory. There was something about him...but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Her observations were interrupted by her cousin. He addressed her father, "It's fine, Uzumaki-sama." The young redhead sighed dejectedly. "It happens a lot as I k-know you're aware of."

Kushina's mother smiled warmly and patted his arm affectionately. Kushina blinked. The two seemed really close with how near they stood next to each other. This was further proved by the shinobi's semi-relaxed stance. He still looked nervous, but he probably always looked like that.  
Kushina scrunched her brows together in confusion. Her mother had called him her nephew. Did that mean they were cousins? (it'd be weird if wasn't considering she'd been referring to him as such in her head this whole time.) Well technically her mother had a habit of calling everyone nephew or brother since the whole clan was related to one another by either blood or marriage. Nonetheless, now that she had been in the older boy's company longer he seemed kinda…familiar. DARN IT! She'd figure it out or so help her! It was like she'd seen him before. Not just in those pictures, but like in real life. And not just around the compound, either. It was somewhere...closer...?

The feminine redhead bowed and introduced himself, "My name is Uzumaki T-Tamotsu. You probably don't recognize m-me since I've been away for a while on a mission." So he did know her! Tamotsu continued, "My mother and your father were very close, cousins in fact." Okay, that would explain why there was a photo of him on her father's desk. "I've known you since you were _this_ ," he held his index and thumb up and made the universal 'small' gesture, "t-tiny. You were just a cute little girl when I left, Kushina-kun, but now that the war has c-come to us I've been called back to escort you to Konoha." He said the last part firmly, but the way his hands clenched so tightly raised her suspicions. There was something he wasn't telling her something. She glanced at her parents. Something they _all_ weren't telling her.  
Kushina chose to ignore this in favor of the bigger problem here.

She turned to her parents and asked them inquisitively, "Konoha? Isn't that kinda far from here? Hey! Are you guys coming too?" Her parents looked at her sadly. Kami, she was starting to hate that look. Her mother patted her chubby cheeks. Kushina blinked and looked back and forth between the two adults. The Uzumaki matriarch opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out.  
Her father was the one who spoke, "I'm sorry, Kushina but as head, I must stay behind to guide both the clan and the village with your mother. " He reached out and ruffled her hair. "Don't worry, small one, Tamotsu will take good care of you."

Kushina backed away from her parent's touch. Her eyes were wide with fear. She hadn't wanted to believe but all the evidence she needed was right here. No! No! She refused to given in to those darker thoughts!

"You're sending me...away? Why can't I just stay here with you?" Tamotsu reached out for her. Kushina flinched and he withdrew. "I don't want to pack up my stuff and leave Uzu! This is my home and no stupid war is gonna drive me away, 'ttebane!" She yelled defiantly, her arms straightening out on either side of her in closed fists. The thought of being separated from her village, her clan, her _family_ just because of some war was crazy talk!

An old fear gripped her heart as a lone thought slipped in and echoed throughout her mind. One that she had been fighting against in vain for a while now. What if…what if they didn't want her anymore? Was that why they were sending her away? Had they finally gotten sick of her? Oh, she knew she shouldn't have pulled that prank this morning! All they needed to do was wash it with warm water! It's not like it was permanent or anything!  
Her voice cracked, "Don't…don't you guys…want me? Don't you l-love me anymore? You've all been so far away and…" Unbidden tears formed in her eyes. Kushina growled and stubbornly wiped her face. Why was she crying! She was supposed to be angry and...stuff.

Next thing she knew she was engulfed in warmth. Her mother held onto her tightly, petting her hair.

"Of course we love you, Kushi-chan! I'm so sorry, sweetie. We didn't mean to push you away. We just," the redheaded woman hugged Kushina tighter, "we just didn't want to see you go. It hurts us to send you off like this, but it's for the good of the clan, for the country." Her mother pressed a firm but loving kiss to her forehead. Her father was at her side, gently wiping her tears away. He smiled and wiped her nose with her sleeve. Kushina swatted his hands away.

"Don't fret little Kushina. The leaf village have been great allies to us for many years. They and Tamotsu," the boy quickly nodded his head, "will keep you safe. I promise you that, daughter." He gave her shoulder a tight squeeze in reassurance. The older Uzumaki turned to her cousin. "Tamotsu, please see to it that Kushina gets packed."

Her mother smiled again at her, albeit it was a little sad, and ushered her forward. "Go on, Kushi-chan. You two leave at dawn tomorrow." Kushina opened her mouth to protest but the pain in their eyes and tight smiles silenced her. She trudged on to her bedroom obediently.  
Tamotsu made to follow her but was stopped by the clan head's powerful voice. It resonated through his office, spooking the guards standing sentry outside the study's doors.

"Nephew, I trust that you will take every precaution necessary to ensure the safety of my daughter, yes?"

Tamotsu looked into his leader's stern gaze and nodded anxiously.

"Need I remind you that if any harm befalls my daughter you will not only invoke my wrath but potentially set events into motion that can never be _erased_." The sudden visage of a chakra beast tearing through the Elemental Nations took form in Tamotsu's mind. He knew that should he fail this mission the consequences would be unimaginable. He bowed low in deference. Not a single stutter plagued his voice as he gave his reply.

"Hai, Uzumaki-sama. I will not let any harm come to Lady Kushina."

The patriarch of the Uzumaki marveled at the sheer amount of conviction shining in the young man's eyes. His cousin, Kami bless her soul, had raised such a fine young man. The clan head's intimidating gaze softened and he smiled and nodded his head in the direction Kushina had wandered off.

The patriarch spoke kindly, "Very well, Tamotsu, I shall hold you to your words. Please go ahead and reacquaint yourself with Kushina." He chuckled lightly. "She's grown into quite a handful during your absence."

His wife smiled wistfully, "Our own little whirlpool, ne? I'm sure you two will benefit from some time spent together before you leave."

Tamotsu's shyness returned and he meekly nodded, making sure to give a long deep bow to the two before scurrying off after Kushina. The pair watched the young shinobi scamper off.

The clan head felt a little bit of the weight on his shoulders lift. His nephew may be the black sheep of their clan, but Tamotsu had fought tooth and nail against the clan's persecution and had won his and the clan elder's respect. Although to be fair, he had always had a soft spot for his cousin's only child. The two had born a few days apart and had grown quite close as the years progressed. Tamotsu's mother had been his closest friend and confidiant. She'd been the one to introduce him to his wife all those years ago. Her passing had hurt him and his aunt dearly, but none more so than the son she left behind.

Through time, Tamotsu had become a model example for his peers to follow in. If they ever got the courage to remove the sticks up their asses, anyways. Honestly, his clansmen could be just as bad as the Uchihas. All they saw was a weak, spineless shinobi unworthy of the clan name. But there were few who saw his true worth.

All they saw was a weak, spineless shinobi unworthy of the clan name despite the milestones Tamotsu had made. But there were few who saw his true worth. He was proud to count himself among those few.

Despite the twenty-year old's young age and, ahem, feminine appearance, he was a fearsome shinobi in the field and had garnered much fame throughout the Elemental Nations. Which was a grand feat for someone so young.

Though that fame wasn't exactly the type of fame you would wish for, but it had earned him a nickname at least. He was easily one of the most promising aspiring seal masters of his generation and in a clan that boasted the best seal masters in all the Elemental Nations that was quite an accomplishment. Though his timid personality and looks earned him many jeers and sufferings in his childhood he had managed to overcome that and tuned all his energy into becoming an exceptional ninja. He held no worries that Tamotsu would fail. He would sooner take a kunai to the heart than let any threat come into the same _village_ as Kushina. But with his reputation and famed nickname, killing him wouldn't be such a simple task. After all, they don't call him the Uzumaki's Zombie Kunoichi for nothing.


	2. Baa-chan

**A/N: Edited the chapter a bit. Nothing you need to read again, though**

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" _Antique things have an appreciation and worth. Something can be old, but it can be timeless; therefore, it becomes an antique. If this antique is preserved and deemed precious, it could be passed down as a family heirloom._ "

\- Cee Lo Green

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Chapter 2: Baa-chan

Tamotsu smiled as Kushina rushed around her room throwing all kinds of things into boxes and suitcases.

He raised his hand in a peace sign and closed his eyes, "Yo!"

Kushina paused and looked at the ninja standing in her doorway, "Oh, uh, hi."

"Would you like any h-help, Kushina-kun?" Tamotsu knew it was better to ask his clanswoman than to go ahead and start taking over. The woman of the Uzumaki clan (and its men) had awfully short tempers when someone so much as _implied_ that they were incapable and therefore needed help. His clanswoman were a pretty independent, tough bunch of gals. Kunoichi or civilian, they could punch your lights out before you even have time to think about what you've done to deserve their fury. Of this, he had firsthand experience.

Kushina pointed at various articles of clothing hanging out of a wooden dresser. "Could you put those away for me? Arigatou!" She exclaimed as Tamotsu bent down and started neatly folding the clothes he saw. Most of the clothes were gender neutral in both style and color. Which went well with his little cousin's somewhat brash, tomboyish personality. He stood up, holding the pile of folded outfits on his forearms, and loaded them into an empty suitcase.

Kushina interrupted the brief silence with a question, "So are you absolutely sure you're a boy, Tamotsu-chan?"

Tamotsu felt his shoulders droop when that _oh-so-familiar_ '-chan' followed his name. He didn't mind the suffix anymore and had learned to accept, but did the entire _world_ have to assume he was fine with it? Oh well, it's not he really minded anymore. It had bothered him for a while during his genin days, but Emik-sensei was quick to remind him that it was solely a term of endearment, but if he felt like it was being misused in a derogatory fashion she advised him that a swift kick to the gonads was always the way to go. He sighed. He really missed her, but the life of a shinobi was often a short one.

His younger cousin continued, "Because you really, and I mean _really,_ look like a lady, so I just wanna to make double sure that _you're_ double sure." Kushina looked at him with an expression between doubt and determination; she doubted his earlier response to the same question and the way her mouth was set in a straight line told him that Kushina would not rest until she was a hundred percent convinced. Kushina's face softened and she leaned in towards him conspiratorially, covering the side of her mouth from invisible onlookers. "Cause, uh, all you have to do is check down there, ya know? Kaa-chan told me we're not supposed to have anything down there, not like boys do."

Tamotsu felt his face redden and he slapped his hands to his cheeks in mortification. "W-What!?" He squeaked. "Y-Y-Yes! I a-assure you Kushina-kun that I am, in f-fact, a boy. I don't believe it's necessary for me to c-c-confirm, um, _that._ " His face felt like it was on fire. Kami-sama, this was so embarrassing and having it come from his little cousin's mouth made it all the more worse.

Kushina snickered and pointed to his face. "Look at your face! You look just like a tomato, Tamotsu-chan, 'ttebane! I don't think I've ever seen someone _that_ red before."

Tamotsu stuttered intangibly for a moment. Eventually, he settled for pouting childishly. "S-Stop it. It's not nice to t-tease, you know."

"Yeah, yeah." Kushina waved her hand flippantly. "Whatever you say, _Tomato-chan._ " Kushina snickered, walking away. Tamotsu sighed. Great. Another person to tease him endlessly.

The young man watched as she attempted to close a suitcase overflowing with buckets of paints, ninja wire, and an assortment of other oddities.

"Ah, Kushina-kun, let me help you." Tamotsu placed his palms flat on the suitcase and used his body weight to try and close it while Kushina sat atop it.

"Damn it!" Kushina cursed, wiggling atop the still opened case. "Why won't this stupid thing close? Argh!" Kushina slammed her bottom down forcefully and glared at the redhead assisting her. "Put you back into!"

Tamotsu dug his heels into the carpet and summoned chakra to his arms. The suitcase closed and Kushina was quick to close the latch.

"Yeah! That's how you do it, 'ttebane!" She cheered and gave her cousin a playful shove that sent him teetering into the wall. "Who knew you had it in you, _Tomato-chan."_ Kushina erupted into a fit of giggles.

Tamotsu picked himself up whilst muttering, "Ow…one day they'll be calling _you_ tomato…ow…That really hurt." Curse his family's unnatural strength and those hard walls. His shoulder was going to be sore for _days._

Kushina hopped off the closed luggage and rolled her eyes at the shinobi's injured dramatics.

"Yeah, yeah. Stop your whining and help me finish." She walked over to a box of toys and started picking out her favorites.

Tamotsu opened another set of drawers and frowned at what laid inside. Well, this was a…cute surprise.

"Hey, Tamotsu-chan, do you think the village will like me? I'll be a foreigner n' stuff so I won't really know anybody. I'm not, uh, really good at making friends, but who cares what they think, ya know? Hehe, yeah. If they don't like me I'll _make_ them like me, 'ttebane!" The redheaded girl said in determination and raised a fist in the air to punctuate her claim. "Yeah! Ooooh, I wonder if they have any good ramen shops there? Have you ever been there? Do you think the ramen there is as good as it is here? Well, nothing can beat mom's ramen but still!" Her words flew right through Tamotsu's ears as he blinked in confusion. For someone who was so boyish she sure had a lot…of pink…

Kushina turned around, "Hey, Tamotsu-chan! Are you deaf or something? I'm talking to you-" Her eyes widened as she noticed the pile of folded kawaii animal-themed panties in Tamotsu's hands. Some were even patterned with little flowers and others had the clan crest printed on them in patel colors.

"What are you doing! Y-You, you, GAH! YOU PERVERT!" Kushina yelled and landed a right hook on Tamotsu's jaw that sent him sailing out of the child's room. "AND STAY OUT, YOU PEDOPHILE, 'TTEBANE!" She slid the newly replaced door with a snap.

Tamotsu moaned as he slid off the wall.

A boisterous laugh filled the hall, "I see you're back, Tamotsu-chan! And you've been assigned to guard over young Kushina-chan I've heard. Tell the old hag I said hello when you get the chance, ne?" A small, old woman stood over him. Tamotsu managed a wobbly smile.

"It's good to see you too, Baa-kun."

The old woman swatted his head with her cane.

"Ow! B-Baa-kun? What was that for?"

The woman simply tsked and shook her head, "Tamotsu-chan, still calling me 'kun'? It's 'Baa- _chan_ ' to you, you silly girl!" With that said she used her cane to lift him up by the back of his shirt like a small puppy. "Understood?"

Tamotsu shook his head eagerly, "Y-Yes, Baa-chan! But…" The elderly Uzumaki woman eyed him carefully. Tamotsu fiddled with his hands nervously. "I'm n-not a girl. I've told you many-" The small woman flung him backward as she walked down the hall nonchalantly, "Yes, yes. Enough of your babbling. Come, I have a present for you, granddaughter."

Tamotsu whimpered in defeat but shakily stood up and hurried to catch up with the elderly lady.

After the death of his parents when he was very young, around seven, his grandmother had become his legal guardian. At first, she hadn't really liked him. Not that Tamotsu blamed her as the resemblance between himself and his KIA mother was a painful reminder to them all as to what they had lost. But over time he'd grown on her and the two became very close.

"Quicken those steps, girl!" the elder Uzumaki called from inside her room down the hall, "I won't be alive for much longer at the pace your traveling."

Baa-chan, being the youngest sibling to Mito Uzumaki and Kushina's grandfather, Keisuke Uzumaki, she had been instructed on social etiquette and how to deal with clan affairs in the event that either of her siblings became unavailable. Nonetheless, all that tea sipping and bowing did nothing to snuff out her grandmother's fiery personality and she often teased him, calling him 'granddaughter' and other titles mostly reserved for girls. There was no real bite in his granny's jests so he paid her no mind. It would futile to convince her otherwise. She'd just whack him around with her cane some more and then proceed to braid his hair as an apology.

Ah, he really loved it when the village children would braid his hair. It had gotten even longer, past his waist where the ends tickled the back of his thighs. Hoshimi, his teammate had suggested he cut it, but his third teammate, Natsuki, had been adamant he grow it out. Besides, Tamotsu rather liked it long and it also served as a testament to his skill if he could afford to have such long hair.

"About time you got here," Baa-chan muttered as he stepped inside her grand room. "Don't you know it's rude to keep others waiting. Tsk, tsk, a few years go by and you've already forgotten all your manners."

"I apologize, Baa-chan. I didn't mean to keep you waiting-"

"Sit, sit," his grandmother grabbed hold of his shoulders and shoved him down onto the mat. Tamotsu yelped, his limbs hitting the small table and almost knocking it over. He grabbed the edge the just before it could topple over and placed it down quietly. The redhead sneaked a peek at his grandmother. Luckily, Baa-chan's back was turned to him as she prepared the tea.

Tamotsu, for the first time since he returned, allowed himself to relax. He'd been busy since the moment he stepped foot inside Uzushiogakure. His teammates had haggled him into going out to eat. When he agreed the two had whisked him away to the nearest food stand. Natsuki and Hoshimi hand proceded to stuff their faces with ramen, sending noodles flying everywhere. It'd taken forever to rid his hair of the slippery noodles and he still smelled like beef broth.

But it was after the two had ordered sake that things had really escalated. They had offered him which he politely declined. Hoshimi had laughed, knowing the smaller redhead couldn't handle his liquor. Something Tamotsu was still embarrassed about. Seriously, who got drunk after one cup? Well, him, apparently. The drinking quickly turned into a contest where the pair had ended up completely smashed... along with the ramen stand where an epic display of the drunken fist was performed by Natsuki.

Just as the owner was about to pummel them into tomorrow's breakfast jam, a distant cousin of his informed him that the clan head was requesting his presence personally. When he'd shown reluctance to leave his two friends behind to their untimely fate, his cousin had simply grabbed his arm and hauled him into the clan compound and inside his uncle's private study where he was debriefed on the details of his new mission. And boy did this mission feel like a bitch slap to the face, but he was duty-bound to serve the clan.

"Here," Baa-chan turned around, holding two steaming cups in her dainty hands, "Be careful. Drink it too fast and you won't be able to taste for a week."

Tamotsu whispered his thanks and carefully accepted the tea and sipped it silently as his grandmother watched him closely. She stayed standing even when he insisted she sit.

Her eyes, identical to his own and therefore his mother's, pierced into him like frosted spikes. The steam of her tea wafted up, obscuring her blank facial expression for a moment. It was very intimidating. He briefly wondered what he could have done to warrant such intense scrutiny.

"Is there something wrong?" Tamotsu finished his cup and shifted nervously under the elder's gaze. He ducked his head and asked more quietly, "Did _I_ do something wrong?"

At his meek expression, his grandmother's mask slip and he could sort of read her now.

There was something in her expression that worried. It was…sad…with a hint of nostalgia…

It was hard to pinpoint the emotion exactly and even harder to find the cause of it. What was troubling his precious person so much? Maybe it had something to do with this gift she mentioned earlier.

"Baa-chan? You s-said you had a gift for me?" He set the tea cup down and looked at her earnestly.

His grandmother suddenly grinned, startling the young man, and stood up, hobbling gracefully (don't ask, she's just gifted like that) to retrieve a small box with a single white swirl gracing the top. The sudden change in mood threw the man off kilter. She was just depressed like a second ago!

"Open it." Baa-chan smiled kindly down at him as she gently placed the orange box in his cupped hands.

Tamotsu gave her a puzzled look and slowly opened the box. He stared down at the black hair clip and felt his mouth dry. Memories of his mother came unbidden.

"Mom," He muttered, tenderly stroking the simple hair piece.

Baa-chan spoke softly, "You recognize it? Good boy. I gave it to your mother when she was around your age."

 _Boy._

Baa-chan never called him a _boy_. It was always girl this, girl that. He looked away from the hair clip and up at the elderly woman when she spoke next.

"It was actually given to me by Mito-neechan before she went off and married that hooligan, Hashirama. I kept it after your mother passed away. I promised myself I would give it to you like your mother would have wanted."

Tamotsu frowned and looked up at his grandmother.

"Why give it to me now, Baa-chan?" The woman's smile dimmed and she turned her head to look out the window. A dark shadow passed over her face, obsurring it even in the moonlight.

"Dark times are upon us. Uzushiogakure is strong and her foes remain divided, but the day will come when their hatred and fear will unite, organzing Uzu's enemies. I sense the time approaching now."

Tamotsu nodded his head, clutching the gift closer "Yes, I know, grandmother. While I-I was away gathering intelligence I realized this too. The villages f-fear us. They fear what we know, what we can do, and most importantly what we _will_ do."

The graying Uzumaki nodded and suddenly smirked. A tingle crept up Tamotsu's spine.

"Look at you," Her wrinkled face grinned mischievously. "When did you grow up, Tamotsu-chan or should I say _Uzumaki's Zombie Kunoichi_?"

Tamotsu felt his face burn up and whined, "D-Don't call me that, 'ttebaru! It's bad enough when Hoshimi-chan does it."

His grandmother really started laughing once the verbal tick slipped out.

"Oh my! You're just like your mother, 'ttebasu!"

Tamotsu sputtered and flailed his arms. "Y-You just said it too! You said 'dattebasu'!" The small woman scowled and smacked his head.

"Tch, it runs in the main family. Didn't anyone teach you to respect your elders, young lady?"

Tamotsu pouted and rubbed his head. What was up with people hitting him today?

Baa-chan sighed and pulled him up by the scruff of his shirt with her cane again. Honestly, what was he? A child?

"C'mon, get up and take your gift, you ungrateful brat." Tamotsu simply smiled. His grandmother unceremoniously dropped him outside her doorway. He hit his back rather hard on the floor but not even the pain could wipe the happy smile off his face.

Baa-chan rolled her pupilless eyes and gave him a look. "What is it now, Tamotsu-chan?"

He smiled wider and closed his eyes. "I love you, Baa-chan. Thank you for the gift. I love it." The woman flushed and lightly whacked him with her cane.

"G-Go on! Don't you youngsters have a bedtime or something?" The redheaded shinobi shrugged meekly. Baa-chan rolled her eyes again and slammed the door shut in his face. He rubbed his nose and his smile softened. She probably didn't realize it, but right before she closed the door he saw it- his grandmother was smiling. She'd missed him. Six years were an awful long time to be away from those you loved. But you know what they. Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that.

Tamotsu got up and walked down the dark hall, everybody in the house having already gone to bed. He hummed quietly to himself as he walked to his bedroom. He passed by Hoshimi's room. He could hear the older of three jounin snoring away. Not that Tamotsu blamed him. The trip back was ardous, especially with the team of tracker nin following them after their cover had been blown. That, and there was the small matter that he had been intoxciated the last time he saw him

A voice mumbled in their sleep. Tamotsu tilted his head to side curiously. That wasn't Hoshimi's voice. Curious and knowing his burly friend wouldn't mind, Tamotsu slid open the door. What he was made him giggle.

Someone had obviously been assigned to round the two Uzumakis up. Whoever it was had uncermoniuosly dumped the pair in the middle of the room without another thoguht, having completed their duty. Tamotsu brought his hand up to cover his mouth lest he wake his freinds. It was a pretty funny sight. Hoshimi was spread eagle on the floor, mouth wide open as he snored loudly. A small line drool was making its way south. Atop his large teammate was Natsuki. The man was curled up like cat, his cheeks a rosy pink that matched Hoshimi's. He was mumbling faintly. Something about a dumpling monster.

Tamotsu quickly took out his camera and shot a picture. He removed the devolped picture and bit back another giggle. Oh, this was going with his favorites. He quielty closed the screen door and left the two to their dreams.

Tamotsu made it his room. The door opened smoothly without a single creak. He smiled fondly. It was exactly how he'd left it. The room was slightly dusty, but had remained untouched whilst he was away. The man walked over to the small, cracked mirror on the wall. He's broken it years ago in an odd fit of rage. His temper tantrum had cost him twelve stitches in his hand.

Baa-chan had not been pleased that day.

He brought the hair clip out of its box and placed it in a way so that it would keep his bangs away from his face. Tomotsu giggled and admired the way it looked on him. His mother, who had been killed by Kumo ninja long ago on a joint-mission with his father's team, had been his inspiration and role-model growing up. She was a wonderful woman. Heads would turn whenever the two went to the market. She was a natural beauty and even though his girly looks had brought him a lot of grief he was glad he looked like his mom. Not that his father was ugly or anything! Quite the contrary, the two had made a very stunning couple with his father's broad shoulders and devilish charms.

Tamotsu quietly took off his standard jounin outfit, along with his forehead protector, and wrapped a towel around his body.

Tomorrow was going to be a hectic day and his body was already weary from having just returned from a six-year-long intel/infiltration mission. A good bath was just what he needed.

The twenty-year-old made sure to keep hidden as he trekked down the halls and to the bathhouse. Oddly, the door was ajar and he could see some light and steam wafting out. Not wanting to be mistaken as a pervert (again) he softly rapped on the screen door.

"Hello?" He called out. The Uzumaki heard water being sloshed and blinked. So someone was in there. Usually, he was the only one that bathed this late into the night. Mostly because he felt shy around the other male members of his clan and the idea of bathing with the women made him uncomfortable. Most didn't mind him tagging along and some of his clanswomen actually invited from time to time to go and relax, but he felt most comfortable when it was just him alone.

Kushina popped her dripping head through the door. When she caught sight of him she her face fell

"Oh. It's _you_." The redheaded child eyed his towel. "Pervert."

Tamotsu held his towel more closely to himself, blushing self-consciously.

"G-Gomenasai! I didn't m-mean to i-i-intrude or anything, um, I sincerely a-apologize for earlier! I sh-shouldn't have-" For the umpteenth time that day he was smacked by a woman, or girl, in this case.

"Ow! That really hurt." He whimpered, rubbing the new red handprint on his chest. Kushina huffed and walked back inside.

"Oh don't be such a crybaby, Tamotsu-chan. C'mon, it's cold out here!" With that, the two redheads walked inside and Kushina shamelessly threw her towel off to the side and hopped inside. Tamotsu squeaked when the warm water splashed him. Kushina threw her head back and laughed freely. Tamotsu couldn't help but smile. He loved his cousin dearly and it made his heart warm to see that the war hadn't crushed her energetic personality.

He rolled his eyes playfully before going off to wash himself first in the small area next to the bathing pool. He let his long hair out of his pony tail and sighed as he scrubbed away three days worth of grime and sweat. Ew.

"Hey! Tamotsu-chan!" Kushina called from the bath. "How old are you?"

The man rinsed himself and wrapped himself up in his towel once more. Ah, how he loved that squeaky clean feel!

"I'm twenty." He answered. Kushina hummed and eyed him again as he shifted under her scrutinizing look. "W-What is it, Kushina-kun?" The man asked nervously, repositioning his towel.

Kushina waved her hand, "Nothing, it's just that you look a lot younger." She turned her head to the side. "C'mon on in already! I'm not going to peek. _Gross_." She stuck out her tongue and closed her eyes. Tamotsu quickly folded his towel and stepped inside, slipping under the water shyly as Kushina reopened her eyes. "See? Told ya I wouldn't peek." The cheeky girl grinned and looked at his chest curiously. Tamotsu flushed as the girl sidled up to him.

"Eh, uh, w-w-what are you d-d-doing?" He asked embarrassedly as Kushina's small hands traced the pink scars on his chest. Her eyes looked back up at him excitedly.

"Woah! Where'd ya get all these cool scars? Oh! Where did this one come from?!" She rubbed a jagged scar just over where his heart was. "This one looks like it hurt." The young girl stuck her hand lower and pointed to a large burn he had received when he was younger. Some ninja had tried roasting him alive in his genin days. Luckily he had lived and was left with a nasty patch of red, blistered skin over the bottom half of his abdomen that had taken a while to heal.

"Aha, I got them on m-missions." He grabbed her inquisitive hands before things got awkward. He should have known Kushina would be curious. Being clusny in their troubke usually spelled distars and some cases- death. Most of his scars were due to the genin's strict training regime, missions, and his own clumsiness.

Kushina suddenly squinted, looking down into the water. Tamotsu looked down as well. Had she seen the bite marks? Or maybe that nasty scar left over when someone had attempted to cut his kidney out? He shivered. That had been utterly terrifying. Poor shinobi, though. The guy had lost his mind after the death of his mother.

Kushina looked back up at her cousin with an expression that one wore when they confirmed something of importance.

"So you _weren't_ lying. You really are a boy."

Tamotsu shrieked and let go of his cousin as he scrambled backward. Kushina guffawed and crossed her arms behind her head.

"Haha, you should have seen the look on your face, 'ttebane!" Tamotsu could feel steam practically coming out of his ears and he crossed his legs self-consciously. The young girl waved her arms as if to fan away his humiliation.

"Jeesh, Tamotsu-chan, don't get your undies in a twist." She smiled innocently. "I used to take baths all the time with Tou-chan. Besides, we're both naked!" She threw her arms cutely in the air.

Tamotsu felt like his heart was going to burst. Kushina laughed again and a somewhat comfortable silence permeated the steamed air. Tamotsu used this time to gather his bearings. Why did his family take such sadistic pleasure from torturing him like this?

"Baa-chan is always talking about you." The little redhead said randomly.

Tamotsu was quiet as he contemplated this. So his Baa-chan _had_ missed him! He knew it! She really did love him. A warm, bubbly emotion entered his tummy.

"Oh? Really? But you acted like you didn't know me."

Kushina snickered, "That's because whenever granny talks about you she talks like this," the child held her clasped hands to her cheek and tilted her head to the side and her grey-blue eyes sparkled as she gushed exaggeratedly, "Oh, my precious little granddaughter! I wonder when she'll come back me. Such a cute little thing, always tripping over her own feet! Ah, so kawaii, 'ttebasu~!"

Tamotsu blushed and gaped at the girl as she went into another laughing fit.

"W-What?! Does she honestly s-say all that?" He asked incredulously. He knew Baa-chan loved him. She was just a stern woman and had a hard time shoing it. And yes, he was gone for six years but she didn't strike him as the type that would just squeal praises about him.

Kushina puckered her lips, " _Weeeell_ , she didn't say it like that but she never did shut up about you." She rolled her eyes. "I always thought she was nuts and was just talking about some imaginary person or something."

Tamotsu sweatdropped. That theory wasn't that far-fetched, actually. Baa-chan wasn't senile or anything, but she did have her moments.

An amiable hush fell over the two cousins as they soaked in the warm bath. Of course, this being the Uzumaki clan house, silence never reigned for long.

"Tamotsu?" Said person sat up straighter at the seriousness in the girl's usual loud voice.

"Yes? What is it, Kushina-kun?" Tamotsu questioned. The girl looked him dead in the eye and the two silently stared at one another for a moment. The shinobi fidgeted uncertainly.

Kushina grinned, "I want us to be friends, Tamotsu-chan. I'm not really that good at making them," Tamotsu smiled at the way the girl's cheeks turned pink, "but I like you and Kaa-chan told me if you like someone you have try hard and be nice 'n stuff." She mumbled the last part but the sincerity in her eyes never wavered.

Kushina would make a fine clan head one day. Tamotsu knew it. Way better than he would have ever been.

Tamotsu closed his eyes and smiled serenely.

"I'd like to be your friend very much too, Kushina-kun."

The girl's grin, if possible, became even wider. "Really!? YATTA!" Her shout echoed throughout the bathhouse and outside into the halls. Dread filled Tamotsu's very being.

 _"Oh no."_

"QUIET! I'M TRYING TO SLEEP, 'TTEBAI!" The matriarch of the clan shrieked and was followed quickly by Tamotsu's grandmother.

"IF YOU YOUNGSTERS DON'T SHUT YOUR TRAPS, _THIS_ CANE IS GONNA GO SO FAR UP YOUR ASS THAT NOBODY WILL BE ABLE TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN _YOU_ AND AN UCHIHA, 'TTEBASU!"

"Hey, Tamotsu?" Kushina whispered. He looked at her and silently urged to continue. "Can I call you nee-chan? I know you're not a girl, but it fits, ya know?"

Tamotsu blushed, "S-sure, but I think we should keep our voices down for-"

"I CAN HEAR YOU WHISPERING OVER THERE!"

The two cousins sweatdropped and resumed their bath in utter silence in terror of provoking their kin's wrath. Hell hath no fury like the women of the Uzumaki clan.


	3. To Konoha!

**A/N: I have no idea where I read it from, but I read in a forum somewhere that the Uzumaki clan have a bloodlimit and I will be using that idea for my story. So, since I always forget the disclaimer, I own nothing affiliated with Naruto or the idea that the Uzumaki clan have a bloodlimit. Just borrowing :D**

 **Para Lity:**

 **(perdona me pero mi espanol is un poquito...:P Eh.)**

 **Tamotsu, por ser llamada 'chan' toda su vida, penso por un tiempo que llamar los varones 'chan' y los mujeres 'kun' era correcto. Su abuela la he ensenado que esto no es correcto (aunque en Asia si lo hacen). :D Espero que esta claro todo.**

 **Yes, I speak Spanish, but I was never taught how to write it so sorry if it's terrible lol**

* * *

 _"According to most studies, people's number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death._  
 _Death is number two! Does that sound right?_  
 _This means to the average person, if you go_  
 _to a funeral, you're better off in the_  
 _casket than doing the eulogy."_

\- Jerry Seinfeld

* * *

Chapter 3: To Konoha!

Kushina grinned mischievously and threw yet _another_ suitcase at her cousin. "Here ya go, Tamotsu-nee! Hold this for me, ne?"

The young man's knees buckled under the weight, "Oof! Kushina-kun, don't you think you're taking a bit m-much?" He asked, having to crane his neck around the mountain of luggage in his arms to see her.

"Uh, no?" Kushina rolled her eyes and began walking towards the entrance of the village. Most of Uzu's population had come to bid farewell to the Uzumaki clan's heiress. Her parents and Tamotsu's team stood off to the side waving at them with tears in their eyes after having said their heartfelt goodbyes…three times. she was a brat and had least pranked everybody in their

Kushina was a brat and had least pranked everybody and their mama in their like five bazillion times, but she was a lovable brat; she was Uzu's very own little whirlpool. Plus, she was family. Nothing was more important to their clan than family. Ramen came in as a close second. There was no place for grudges in their clan.

Tamotsu grunted and with all the skill he could muster, he jiggled one of his personal sealing scrolls out of his holster and onto the ground. Just as he dropped Kushina's things onto the scroll he raised his hand in a one-hand seal.

"Seal!"

Kushina awed in wonder as her things miraculously disappeared. Okay, yeah, she came from a clan of seal masters and was even semi-proficient at the craft herself but still!

"That was awesome, 'ttebane! You're so cool, nee-chan!" She exclaimed. Her mother and various others laughed as Tamotsu bashfully waved her praise away.

"I-It was nothing really."

Kushina huffed, "Pfft, yeah right. That was great! You were so fast. I didn't even see your hands move at all. You gotta teach me some of your movies and...!" and with Kushina rambling the two began their long-awaited journey to the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

Tamotsu looked back at their home as they walked farther and farther away. Kushina was also looking at their fading village with such a forlorn look on her face, but she turned her head and put on a brave face.

Tamotsu felt his gut clench. She was only a child and already her village was being threatened by war. He never wished for it to go this far. To make matters worse she was being taken away from her only home to a whole new village to receive just another greater burden. He would have never taken the mission if not for two reasons: one, his uncle and clan head had asked for him personally and to deny would be a grand offense and two, at the time it sounded like a wonderful way to catch up with his baby cousin.

But then, a little before Kushina showed up, his uncle had summoned him again. He'd then told him the exact specifics of his escort mission. He was to safely bring Kushina to Konoha and to assist in the sealing of the nine-tailed fox into that same precious baby cousin. He had seen this coming for some time now. It was probably the reason his uncle had sent him and team away. But Tamotsu had always carried a flame of hope. That hope was promptly snuffed, leaving nothing but smoke that curled around his heart, constricting and squeezing like a sinful serpent.

Tamotsu bit his lip as he looked at his younger cousin. How could he allow her to call _him_ , the man who was leading her to a fate filled with isolation, hatred, and fear, her nee-chan? Tamotsu wasn't naive, despite other's opinions. He knew how jinchuuriki were treated, even in their own village. However, Kushina would be a foreigner. True she was as close royalty as you could get in a ninja village, being the clan's heiress (soon to be ex) and related to the First Hokage's wife. At least he could count on the Senju clan to protect the girl. And Tsunade and Nawaki were too. He knew those two would look after Kushina until the war sucked him in.

 _Kushina, second jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Yoko._

The title left a bad taste in his mouth. Tamotsu gritted his teeth and shifted the giant sealing scroll on his back. Disgust for himself made his stomach churn painfully. Kami, he was despicable.

Kushina sighed and looked away from her village. There was no use in wallowing. If her father said that staying in the Leaf Village was for the good of the clan then she'd do it. This is what she'd born for- to serve the clan. And she'd do anything for family. Her clan held familial loyalty on the highest possible altar of any god. Her great aunt, Tamotsu's grandma, often boasted that never once in all the clan's history had there ever been a traitor. Never. Her family believed and thrived on camaraderie. Never had they ever turned their back on family. Just look at the relationship forged between their distant cousins the Senju clan. Their bonds had even extended to their villages, protecting and looking out for each other since Uzu's and Konoha's founding.

Kushina looked to her left where Tamotsu walked. He really was a pretty man (if you ingored the constipated face he was making right now). If he had been born a woman he would have even been considered beautiful and he _is_ beautiful. Kushina didn't care much for those things, though. Her parents had taught her better than that. Judging a book by its cover, be they a ninja or even a civilian, could get you hurt or worse- _killed_. Even so, Tamotsu was kinda weird and blushy. He didn't really seem all that scary like his nickname suggested.

"Tamotsu-nee, why do they call you the Uzumaki's Zombie Kunoichi? No offense and all, but you don't look like a zombie. You still got all your teeth 'n stuff. So, uh, why do they call you that?" She asked and was surprised when her cousin suddenly tripped over air and face-planted on the ground.

Kushina rushed over and helped him up as the older of the two spat dirt out his mouth. He looked at her wide-eyed.

"Who t-told, um, where did you l-learn about that?"

Kushina smiled mischievously. "Baa-chan told me. I thought you said you were a boy?" Tamotsu stood and the two carried on walking while Kushina bombarded him with questions about his (embarrassing) nickname. "Shouldn't they call you the Uzumaki's Zombie Shinobi? It's kind of a long name. Oh, wait! Does that mean you're really dead? Or is it undead? Do you eat brains, nee-chan? That would be _sooo_ cool, ttebane!"

Tamotsu giggled and shook his head, "Kushina-kun I've told you several times that, yes, I am a boy and why they call me that?" He smiled sheepishly. "It's um kinda embarrassing, really. I p-prefer not to talk about."

Kushina grinned roguishly and rubbed her hands together.

" _Oooh_ , now you really have to tell me, nee-chan."

The shinobi looked at her once and knew there would be no swaying her. She would just continue to ask him until either he cracked and gave in or killed himself. And according to his reputation, the latter would be nigh impossible.

"Okay, okay," he took in a deep breath, "But listen c-closely." Kushina nodded her head excitedly. "I inherited our clan's bloodline, Kanzen Tentai, which lets me h-heal very quickly and also allows me to heal others."

"But doesn't everybody in the clan have that? It's why we're such good fighters!"

Tamotsu shook his head, "You're on the right t-track, but the Kanzen Tentai is concentrated form of that."

"I don't get it." Kushina deadpanned. Shouldn't her parents have explained this to her? Tamotsu looked at the hyper redhead. The girl had probably just forgotten. Their clansmen had rather short attention spans, a product of their ninja training. Tamotsu tried again.

"Well, yes, we can heal faster than regular p-people, we also have larger chakra reserves, and longer lifespans."

Ksuhina nodded her head, " See, I was right-"

"-but," Tamotsu interrupted, "normal Uzumakis can't share that healing p-power with other people and those with Kanzen Tentai can summon our clan's secret jutsu."

"Woah!" Kushina exclaimed. "That's cool!"

The young man patted her head fondly. "You, as a member of the main family, have been gifted with this b-bloodline limit too."

Kushina blinked and then shrugged casually, "Yeah my parents said something 'bout it, but I wasn't really paying attention." Tamotsu sweatdropped. "But what's so embarrassing about that?" The girl asked, squinting up at him questioningly.

Tamotsu rubbed the back of his neck embarrassedly. "Oh, um, it's b-because only f-females in our clan can, uh, i-inherit it."

The road was silent.

However, considering that this is Kushina the silence didn't last very long.

The road echoed with laughter. A few birds gave a startled squawk and flew out of a tree.

"So, hehe," Kushina heaved in a big breath between her laughter, "you're, pfft, basically a girl! Haha, I knew it, 'ttebane!"

Tamotsu blushed and tugged at the sleeves of his kimono.

"That's also w-why they call me a k-kunoichi because everyone assumes I'm a girl."

Kushina sighed and wiped her eyes free of tears. "That is so funny."

Tamotsu pouted and stepped over an errant log. "It's not that funny."

"Yes, it is!" A thoughtful look took over her cheerful grin. "So they call you the Uzumaki's Zombie Kunoichi because it's really hard to kill you?" Tamotsu thought about it and then nodded his head. That was the gist of it.

"I s-suppose that is a simpler way of describing it."

Kushina nodded, "Yeah, just look at Baa-chan, she's still up and kicking ass. But I think you're special, nee-chan." Kushina grinned up at him and Tamotsu was taken aback by the admiration in her eyes. He hadn't even done anything yet!

The expression on Kushina's face was just too adorable to pass up. Tamotsu whipped out his camera.

"Let's take a picture, Kushina-kun!"

Kushina grinned and held both her hands up in the universal peace sign. Tamotsu wrapped his arm around his cousin's shoulders and with the other he took the photograph.

"Lemme see the picture!" The camera beeped and with a click, the photograph popped out. "We look so awesome. I like it!" Tamotsu looked at the picture and couldn't help but agree. With Tamotsu smiling serenely and Kushina's bright, slightly mischievous grin they looked pretty good together.

 _"This one is definitely going in the album."_ He thought.

Three days passed as the duo traveled together talking about everything under the sun.

Tamotsu looked up at the setting star and then at Kushina. The girl had only just begun her more intense ninja training, but already her stamina was incredible! Not once had she complained or requested for him to stop. But that could also be the famed Uzumaki's stubbornness too. At this pace, the trip would take a week at most since Kushina hadn't yet learned to tree jump yet, but Tamotsu figured if he carried her for some parts of the trip they could make it to the village in a few days. He just had to be wary of bandits and other threats-

A prickling sensation started on the nape of his neck. There three...no four. Four chakra signatures and they were coming in fast!

Kushina gasped in surprise as Tamotsu suddenly appeared in front of her. His kunai was drawn and his eyes scanned the treeline suspiciously.

"What's the big idea-" Tamotsu turned and the look on his face was enough to shut her up.

Now. They were here. Four figures came jumping out of the foliage.

"Look at what we have here," a lanky young man with snow white hair stepped forward, "a little girl and a kunoichi wannabe walking out all by themselves in the middle of _nowhere._ How pathetic." He spat on the ground and the three others behind him snickered. Tamotsu mentally gagged as the men ogled his exposed legs. While the attention made him uncomfortable it was also an advantage. By switching out of his standard ninja gear it was harder for other ninjas to gauge his power. His small frame and round face gave him the appearance of someone younger. He would have the upper hand as long as they continued to think he was some genin kunoichi. Tamotsu bit his cheek. He just had to play his cards right.

Their leader spoke up again, "Now put the kunai down, sweetheart, before you hurt yourself, yeah?" Tamotsu's grip only tightened and his spare arm reached back to grab Kushina.

"What do you want?" He didn't want this confrontation to end in violence. Normally he could deal with the four easily since each of them looked to be rogue ninja with high genin to low chuunin abilities, but with Kushina here he couldn't risk having her get caught in the crossfire. If she got mixed up in the scuffle she would only get hurt and he had direct orders that if even a _hair_ was out of place on her head the Clan Head and his wife (not to mention an overly eager Baa-chan too) would personally castrate him. And Tamotsu was not willing to give up his only symbol of masculinity.

He _could_ leave a water clone with her while he took care of their problem, but these guys didn't look above attacking a kid to get an upper hand. No, he'd have to keep her close.

The rogue-nin grinned maliciously, "It's not what we want, it's what you _are_ , Uzumaki scum!" Their leader laughed as Tamotsu's eyes visibly widened. "It's fairly easy to pick you gals out, ya know, your hair is a dead giveaway." The animosity and overall _hatred_ that the man and his followers had for the Uzumaki clan was a clear sign that this situation wouldn't be resolved without some bloodshed.

But who said he couldn't try?

Tamotsu lowered his kunai and looked beseechingly into the enemy's nin's eyes.

"Very well b-but leave the child out of this. This is between m-me and you, shinobi-san."

The man lowered his head and chuckled. The chuckle slowly escalated into manic laughter. A chill ran down Tamotsu's spine as the four of them grinned wickedly at him.

The leader suddenly stopped and glared at him, "Your clan slaughtered my brother and sister with just a flick of a paintbrush and some ink. You didn't even stop to think about them. If they had a family!" He pulled out a few kunai on each hand as he yelled at him. "You're the reason why I'm alone and they're gone!"

Tamotsu felt a pang of sadness. "I'm sorry to hear that, shinobi-san, but we are ninja. The pain you feel now will only grow greater if you continue on this path. Please, turn back now. This doesn't have to end with any more people getting hurt."

Something flickered in his eyes and for a second Tamotsu actually thought they would make it out of here unscathed.

As the gods would have it, fate wasn't on their side today.

The man spoke again, his tone taunting, "Such a naive little thing you are, Uzumaki-san," alarm bells went off in Tamotsu's head, "but don't you know we're at _war_!?" He roared.

The man suddenly threw the volley of kunai at the duo and Tamotsu quickly summoned chakra to his legs. He jumped out of the way with Kushina in his arms. The girl pressed her face into his chest as he landed silently on the other side of the path. The leader growled at having missed his quarry and began sprinting up to the redhead in an attempt to catch him off guard. Tamotsu quickly sent his kunai at him, halting his advance for a second, and used his one free hand to reach inside his sleeves.

"Kushina-kun!" He yelled, jumping out of the way of more flying projectiles and a carefully aimed suiton jutsu. "Hold onto me and do _not_ let go. I need both hands to handle these ninjas."

Kushina shakily wrapped her legs and arms around his torso like a baby koala. Trusting Kushina's strength to keep her in place, Tamotsu let go of her and quickly dropped the henge on the small scroll he had pulled from the hidden depths of his battle kimono. The clothing was short enough for quick, fluid movements yet simple in its design to ward off any suspicions of his real abilities.

One of the rogue shinobis, a huge grisly man with muscles the size of a small horse, threw a punch at him. If it had connected then it would have been lights out for Tamotsu. Luckily, he was quick on his feet and been trained to handle opponents much larger than himself. Hoshimi never held back his punches and with a clan full of happy-go-lucky brawlers he'd learned a trick or two. The redhead ducked a punch from behind and at the same

The redhead ducked a punch from behind from the third nin and at the same time he grabbed the big man's fist. Sending a controlled amount of chakra to his feet and arms he used the momentum of the much larger shinobi and swung him over to the side of the dirt trail just as the other man's punch that had been meant for him connected with the brute's face. It was lights out for the big guy.

Tamotsu connected his summoning scroll to the side latches on his kimono and confronted the next shinobi.

"One down, three more to go," He grunted as he grabbed an errant fist and used his free hand to punch the nin in the ribs. The man, who was shorter than Tamotsu which was a marvel in itself since Tamotsu was only 5'1, muttered a curse that would have made even the brashest of his clan blush, and sent a petty kick towards Kushina. Tamotsu used his natural flexibility and bent backward so the kick harmlessly floated over the child's back. He grabbed the man's leg and swung his own legs up to latch onto the man's limb and grimaced when he heard the man's leg snap with the force of the movement. A swift hit to the head had the enemy shinobi down on the floor.

Tamotsu turned around and faced the two remaining men. The leader had opted for standing on the sidelines with his remaining comrade, a boy in his mid-teens with striking amethyst eyes who wielded two small tantos.

Kushina whimpered. Her fingernails dug into cousin's back, but she was too scared to care. Her clan was made up of a bunch of testosterone-filled knuckleheads so she was used to being in the center of a good fight and even participating in one, but those fights had never been _real_. Sure, sometimes one of her brethren got a black eye and in the worst case scenario a concussion from having a table dropped on their head or maybe a sprained wrist (they had rather thick heads) but that had all been in good fun. This fight, no, _battle_ was between enemy ninja and the goal was to **_kill_**.

"Be brave, Kushina-kun. I need you to be s-strong. Don't let go." Kushina responded by tightening her hold and burying her face in the folds of Tamotsu's clothes. The scent of ink and sweat calmed her. This...this was familiar.

The purple-eyed shinobi drew out his swords and with a nod from their leader the teenager turned into a blur as he approached.

" _Uzumaki Fuuinjutsu: Suiton Release_!" Tamotsu called out. A flood of water broke free of the scroll and hurtled towards the surprised teenager. He was easily swept away.

The skin on the back of the redhead's neck prickled and his eyes widened in surprise. How could have been so stupid! It was only a distraction! Only genin screwed up this badly-

Tamotsu was sent careening through the air as the leader snuck in a powerful swivel kick to the side of his head that sent him soaring through the air. Blood pounded in his ears. He felt Kushina's hold on him slip and he blindly reached out for her as they flew up. He let go of his scroll and grabbed onto her hand only for the purple-eyed boy from earlier to grab a fistful of his hair and throw him away from Kushina.

"Kushina-kun!" Tamotsu screamed and groaned in pain as the rogue ninja slammed his face into the ground. He heard a shriek as Kushina crash landed away from them. Tamotsu felt some relief. At least she was far enough away from the enemy.

Not giving him a chance to retaliate the leader of the four-man cell quickly sent two punches to his face. Tamotsu's head pounded louder and blood poured out from his broken nose.

The white-haired man smirked, "You're a tough little thing, aren't you? I'll give you that much credit." A kick to the ribs had him gasping for breath. He bent his head down only for the drenched boy holding his hair to yank his head back up again. "Too bad your best wasn't enough. Goodbye, Uzumaki-san."

"TAMOTSU!" Kushina yelled in horror as the enemy ninja thrust a kunai into her his chest. Tamotsu's eyes which were always a pretty misty blue, cleared for a second before he slumped down. Tears poured down the child's eyes as she watched her clansman take in a few shuddering breaths. The leader nin let go of the kunai and stood up to face Kushina. The child could only watch in numbed terror as he began stalking towards her. The purple-eyed boy laughed and shook Tamotsu's limp body by his hair.

"She put up a pretty good fight, eh, boss? But like you said her best wasn't enough. Shame, she was pretty cute." He shrugged. "For an Uzumaki demon, that is."

Suddenly the hair in his grasp became stiff and the young ninja screamed in pain as the red strands became needle-like, piercing through his palm and fingers and out the back.

"W-Who s-s-said," Tamotsu rasped and released the seal from his hands which caused his hair to return to normal, "that _that,_ " The jounin stood up and sent a chakra-powered kick to his captor's ribs that sent him straight into a tree, "w-was my best?" Tamotsu spat out a mouthful of blood just as the purple-eyed shinobi slumped down to the floor behind him unconscious. "I'll show you my best if you even _dare_ look at Kushina-kun again, ttebaru!"

Kushina gaped as her cousin stared defiantly up at the remaining ninja who was at least a head taller than himself. A look of wonder and awe formed on her face as the two squared off against each other. Now she saw how Tamotsu had earned such a badass title. He was so, so...ah! So awesome!

The leader nin stared in confusion at the younger man, "Who…who are you?" The man held up his forearms to block the redhead's kick but the strength behind the attack sent the older man skidding backward. Tamotsu used the momentary weakness in his stance to land several quick punches to his abdomen.

"Who am I?" The man's eyes bugged out and Tamotsu sent him to the ground with one chakra-controlled punch. He felt bone shatter under his fist. "I'm Uzumaki Tamotsu, the Uzumaki's Zombie Kunoichi, 'ttebaru! That's w-who I am!"

"…zombie kunoichi, huh?…" With that last utterance the man fell unconscious into the man-sized crater that Tamotsu's punch had created. He panted loudly, standing over the downed man, unwilling to tear his eyes off him in fear of a surprise attack. The other shinobi didn't move. Tamotsu allowed for his breathing to slow, lowering down his arm that he hadn't noticed was raised.

"Tamotsu-nee?" Kushina's small voice rang out through the stillness of the road that had become a mini battlefield. Tamotsu turned around and any remaining adrenaline seeped out of him and he timidly raised his hand rub the back of his neck.

"I-I'm sorry about t-that, Kushina-kun. I promise it won't happen again-oof!" The grey-eyed child rocketed into his stomach and Tamotsu struggled to catch his breath. "K-Kushina-kun?"

The girl pulled her head back and the man felt guilty when he saw the tears in her eyes.

"Never do that ever again, 'ttebane! Got it?! You selfish baka! Baka, baka, baka!" She growled out at him with all the ferocity of a proper Uzumaki, thumping her fist on his chest. Tamotsu smiled softly.

"I promise."

Kushina let out something that sounded like a cross between a laugh and a sob.

"G-Good! Kami, you're such a b-baka, nee-chan. Now you have me stuttering too." Tamotsu just pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head. It seemed to soothe her and she mumbled against his stomach where her face lay buried in the folds of his kimono. "I thought the bad guys had won and that you were d-dead. You really scared me. I thought I was going to pee myself." She sighed. "I like you a lot, nee-chan. Too much for you to die."

Tamotsu made to laugh but suddenly his vision went blurry and his legs felt like jelly.

"Tamotsu-nee?" The forest spun as he stumbled back. He felt Kushina pull back from his grip. "What's wrong-SWEET KAMI! YOU STILL H-HAVE..! OHMYKAMI, YOU HAVE A FREAKING KUNAI STICKING OUT OF YOUR CHEST, TTEBANE!" She shrieked.

Tamotsu's legs buckled underneath his weight and Kushina struggled to lower him gently to the floor. Jeesh, he was heavy! She ended up dropping him on the floor when he slipped from her hands. "Oops! Sorry, nee-chan. Don't worry," he felt a small hand pat his cheek hurriedly, "I'm gonna take care of you. Now, where do you put your med-nin stuff…?"

Tamotsu smiled dizzily to himself as Kushina tended to his wounds. She was only a child and they had only known each other for a short time (for Kushina but Tamotsu had known and watched over her since she was born), but he knew she would grow up to be a powerful kunoichi one day. Fearless, selfless, and kind-hearted. Only someone possessing those remarkable qualities could ever dream to contain the nine-tailed fox.

"Ah…I love you Kushi-hime…please be gentle with me…" He mumbled dizzily.

Kushina cried out, "D-Don't say such w-weird things, 'ttebane! It's not like you're gonna die. Nuh uh, nee-chan, I'll punch the shinigami in the nuts if I have to, ya know!"

Tamotsu laughed, blood dripping past his lips, and closed his eyes as Kushina frantically tried to stop the bleeding.

Yes, Kushina was going to change the world. Even if she had to wrangle it in with her bare hands. He just knew it.


	4. Tsunade and Mission Details

**A/N: I still can't believe people are** **still** **reading this. Anyways, here's a new chapter with some juicy info about Tamotsu's mission concerning Kushina and a look into more of his family. THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO READ THIS THING AND ACTUALLY LIKE IT! I'm such a review whore.**

 **OKAY, SINCE I KEEP FORGETTING THE DISCLAIMER LET'S JUST SAY I OWN NOTHING: ZIP, ZERO, NADA, NOT A CHANCE. This disclaimer will be forced to support this whole fic just in case I forget, _and I will._**

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They say one in every seven friends have a gambling addiction. My money's on Dave.

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Chapter 4: Tsunade and Mission Details

Kushina impatiently tapped her foot as her cousin slowly ambled down the road. Fortunately, thanks to their crazy good Uzumaki genes, Tamotsu was more or less okay. The injury had put their schedule back a few days but luckily their clan's notorious willpower seemed to run deeply in the crossdresser's veins. So they had managed, without any further incidents other than that time when Tamotsu had managed to get tangled in his spare bandages and fall into a river. Kushina had been forced to fish him out with a kunai and some ninja wire she kept handy on herself at all times. It was a miracle they even made it to the Leaf Village with how trouble the two seemed to attract.

"HURRY, TAMOTSU-NEE! Jeesh, you walk like an old geezer." The child threw back her head and whined, "Huuuuurryyyy!"

Tamotsu giggled at the eight-year old's impatience. Kushina rolled her eyes and approached the grand entrance gates of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. She gazed up at the imposing wall in awe. How they remained hidden with a wall like that she would never know.

Tamotsu limped to her side. Kushina whistled in appreciation.

"That's a huge wall."

Tamotsu greeted the guards on duty with a shy hello. The gate guard eyed the feminine man's form appreciatively. Tamotsu was oblivious and stated their business politely. Kushina grumbled to herself about perverts.

"Good m-morning, shinobi-san. I am Uzumaki Tamotsu escorting Kushina Uzumaki to Konohagakure from Uzushiogakure. I b-believe Hokage-sama and Mito-sama are a-awaiting our arrival." The guard stopped his ogling and hurriedly accepted the proffered scroll. The clan head's private seal stood out proudly for all to see. Without delay, two ANBU ninjas flickered to existence. One took a reluctant Tamotsu to the hospital and the other escorted Kushina to the Uzumaki clan embassy. It was a small building. It was really only there for appearances as most visiting Uzumakis stayed with their Senju cousins.

The hospital was crowded with all manner of people. Shouts rang out as a squad of genin came in, carrying their wounded sensei. Those who had returned from the front lines of the war sat in various stages of shock. Tamotsu sighed. This was what awaited him back home. Once he got back he would surely be sent into the fray as well.

The ANBU that had accompanied him quickly disappeared with a sunshine, but Tamotsu could faintly sense the unknown ninja's chakra as they observed him. Tamotsu winced and bent down to sit in an unoccupied chair. A flash of honey-blonde hair caught his attention and Tamotsu was instantly on his feet. He'd recognize that shade anywhere!

"Tsunade-kun!"

If Tsunade hadn't been a kunoichi she would have never heard the soft voice calling out to her. But she was Tsunade Senju, granddaughter of Hashirama Senju, First Hokage of Konoha, and Mito Uzumaki, ex-heiress of the revered Uzumaki clan. So of course she heard the person calling out to her. There was only one shinobi that dared to call that. But she hadn't seen him in years, not after he went away.

"Tamotsu?" She called and turned around. A beautiful redheaded man, she knew better after that misfortunate trip to the bathhouse, smiled shyly at her, but those familiar blue eyes of his shined with suppressed mirth. Tamotsu walked up to her through the throng of patients and medical-nins.

"I knew it was you, Tsunade-kun!" The blonde-haired teen smirked when her cousin tripped over someone's outstretched legs. Tsunade met him halfway before he accidentally killed himself on a stray needle.

He eye-smiled happily, "Look how p-pretty you've become, hime. My oh my, I-I see you've grown up since I last saw you."

The girl rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her gifted bosom self-consciously.

"And I see you're still stuttering." She snapped back. Tamotsu flushed. He turned his head and pouted.

"You know I can't c-control it, Tsunade-kun." He replied.

Tsunade smirked, "I know. It's good to see you too, Tamotsu," She eyed the bandages peeking out of his clothes and smirked knowingly, "Come with me and I'll check you out. I know how embarrassed you get with your, ahem, 'special condition'."

Tamotsu meekly shrugged his shoulders and was roughly dragged away by Tsunade into a private examining room.

She was right. Hospital visits of any kind always ended in humiliation and awkwardness. For him. The nurses would either register him as a female, since his personal medical records were all messed up, and place him in the women's ward. He was then forced to suffer in silence as the women complained about their menstruation cycles and teammates. And they were not shy at all when came to showing off their bodies. So either that happened or they actually recorded his gender properly and he was boarded with a bunch perverts who leered and ogled at him whenever the nurses came to redress his bandages.

Yeah, he'd feel much better with his cousin treating him. Plus, he didn't have to fill out any pesky paperwork!

Tsunade quickly assessed him and calmly healed the lacerated tissue on his chest with all the efficiency and skill of a true medical ninja.

She whistled. "It's a miracle you managed to make it this far without collapsing, idiot." Tamotsu rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as Tsunade sterilized the wound and rewound a fresh set of gauze over it. "So what brings you here?" The kunoichi placed her hands on her hips and stared her older cousin down.

Tamotsu grimaced. "Mito-obaasan is dying."

Tsunade's eyes lost a bit of their fire. She nodded sagely. Of course she knew that. Tsunade and her grandmother were very close and it hurt to see the woman so ill. The medics had said there was nothing to be done. Even she had tried, but it was no use. Mito's time had come. She had already made her peace, but Tsunade wasn't all that accepting of the matter.

"Yes I know that, but you're not here to mourn her." She replied, her eyes narrowing. A small burst of pride filled Tamotsu. Tsunade was just as perceptive as she was strong.

Tamotsu smiled sadly and pulled out a bottle of ink from his sleeves. Tsunade watched as he quickly drew a set of symbols on his fingertips. Summoning a bit of chakra he placed his hand against the wall. She didn't even sense the chakra burst as the ink slipped off her cousin's petite hands and stretched itself across the room's walls and ceilings. The symbols brightened for a moment before sinking into the white walls.

Tamotsu calmly swung his legs on the examining table like he hadn't just performed an A-rank sealing jutsu.

Tsunade shot him a stern look. Sometimes Tamotsu could be just as bad as Jiraiya.

"I'm only telling you this because we're family but if the information I'm about to tell you ever leaves t-this room," Tsunade tried not laugh at her older cousin's horrible attempt at intimidation, "I will not be happy, okay, Tsunade-kun?" Said teen just nodded and bit her lip to keep from laughing. Yeah, intimidation was _sooo_ not Tamotsu's forte.

Tamotsu was oblivious to her internal struggle and continued on, "A s-successor has been chosen to carry on Mito-obaasan's burden. I am here to guard and help in the sealing of the Kyuubi's second jinchuuriki, Kushina Uzumaki." Tsunade felt something twist inside her. While her relationship with the Uzumaki side of her family wasn't as close as she would like due to the distance that didn't mean she didn't care for her family.

"Isn't Kushina that kid you're always talking about?" Tsunade asked, remembering when Tamotsu had excitedly showed her and Nawaki pictures of a crying redheaded child. "Wait, isn't she clan head's daughter, our little cousin?"

Tamotsu nodded sagely. "Yes, she's not only h-heiress to the clan, but also possesses the Kanzen Tentai, the m-main family's bloodline which is what's needed to contain something as strong as the nine-tails." The Kanzen Tentai only existed in the main family and can be possessed by only a female of the main family. Something to with genetics and chromosomes.

Tamotsu was a quirk in that department, being the only male in the history of the clan to possess the Kanzen Tentai, even if it was a weaker strain. "Only an Uzumaki born with the Kanzen Tentai can be tasked with containing the s-strongest of all the nine Bijuu at this stage."

Tsunade gritted her teeth, hating the way Tamotsu's eyes had glazed over as he relayed the facts.

"After the s-sealing is completed she will be s-stripped of her title as heiress and will remain h-here in Konoha to ensure the tailed beast balance."

While Tsunade knew that they couldn't have the Kyuubi roaming free and it was necessary to have it sealed it didn't do anything to defuse her anger. If she did her math right Kushina was only around eight years old or so. Much too young to become a living sacrifice for a foreign village's sake. Even if it was for Konoha.

Tsunade growled and punched a nearby wall. Tamotsu anxiously looked at the fist-sized hole the blonde had created in the wall. Luckily, the sealed had absorbed most of the impact so no one on the other side took notice.

"Damn it! Why her? She's just a brat. Isn't she like eight or something?"

Tamotsu frowned thoughtfully, "It's hard to tell w-with her face. It's all chubby and round. But, yes, you're right."

Tsunade snorted, "Like your face is any different."

"H-Hey!"

The medical-nin shook her head, "It must have been hard for you to bring her here." Tsunade knew her cousin loved and cherished his family. She could only imagine the effect this mission would have on his psyche later on in life. To know you'd played in someone else's fate.

Tamotsu hung his head down in shame and fisted his hands as he stared at the sterile floor. "I…I tried to c-convince uncle to have m-me become the Kyuubi's vessel in Kushina's place, but they needed someone younger to become accustomed to the nine-tails volatile chakra. Someone s-stronger."

Tsunade watched as a few tears slipped onto the shinobi's lap. She knew that Tamotsu thought of himself as weak and he hated himself for it, but Tsunade knew otherwise. Her cousin was strong. Stronger than he would ever admit to himself. She wished he would come to see that.

"I b-begged him, I really did! I knew I shouldn't have insisted because the decision was hurting uncle too, but he was f-firm. He s-said that even if my Kanzen Tentai was complete and I managed to seal the Kyuubi, its chakra would only c-corrode my chakra coils and I would die as a result."

The blonde reluctantly nodded. The container would have to be someone considerably young with a malleable chakra system or someone possessing Kanzen Tentai which bestowed the carrier with incredible healing abilities and the ability to summon the Uzumaki's adamantine sealing chains. And Kushina fit the bill perfectly. Her chakra coils were still developing and she had been born with the strongest strain of the Kanzen Tentai the clan has seen since Mito. Kushina was their best and only candidate.

Tamotsu felt the privacy seals fade away and he wiped his eyes.

"Ah, seems our time is up, Tsunade-kun." He stood up and shyly gave reached his arms out for a hug. Tsunade sighed and yanked him into her arms, nearly crushing him.

"Yeah, yeah, Tamotsu. Get out of here before I kick you out myself, you crybaby."

Tamotsu blushed. Tsunade respectfully ignored his teary eyes and the way he sniffled as the two walked out. Tsunade escorted her cousin out the hospital doors. Kami knows what the man would get up to without her there to save him.

Tamotsu thanked her profusely for her hospitality and apologized for taking so much time away from her fellow downed shinobi. Tsunade slapped him lightly on the head and brushed off his apology. He was family. She'd always be there to help him out. She patted him fondly on the back.

Tamotsu blinked away the stars in his eyes. Tsunade sure was strong.

"A-Ah, yes, okay," he looked at her inquisitively, "I apologize in advance if I'm being r-rude, but what are you doing in the village? I thought you would be out there fighting in the war."

Tsunade scowled, "Sarutobi-sensei pulled us out. I mean it's not like we're genin anymore or something. Me and the two morons are perfectly capable of taking care of ourselves."

Tamotsu nodded. "I see. Don't worry I'm sure he's just concerned for your well-being." Something dark passed over the redhead's eyes. "War is not something I would wish for you to shoulder," his earlier composure return and Tsunade had to do a double take, "but you are a s-strong kunoichi and I believe in you, Tsunade-kun. Hirzuen-sama will see that t-too one day. I know you'll g-grow up to do great things."

Tsunade didn't know what to make of her cousin's words. She merely nodded and punched his arm playfully. A warm feeling settled in her chest and she smiled softly.

Tamotsu winced. When had his little cousin grown so strong? Ow.

"Kami, Tamotsu, are you always this mushy? Don't go spouting out crap like that." Her tone held no bite and Tamotsu basked in the fond expression Tsunade had momentarily let slip onto her face. "Besides Nawaki's birthday is coming up soon and I still need to get him something. So I guess staying in the village is okay."

Tamotsu smiled, "Ah, yes, tell Nawaki-chan I said hello please."

"Sure he'll be ecstatic now that the 'pretty girl' is back." She teased, referring to the way Nawaki talked about Tamotsu when they were all younger. Tamotsu blushed and sighed in defeat. Tsunade never let either of the two forget about that. The blonde leaned against the door of the hospital as Tamotsu prepared to head out.

"Hey, Tamotsu?"

The redhead turned around and looked happily at his younger cousin "Yes, what is, Tsunade-kun?"

The girl uncharacteristically fidgeted before looking at the young man pleadingly.

"Can I borrow some money?" Tamotsu sweatdropped but the adorable expression on the girl's face had him reaching into his clothes and pulling out a small bag of coins.

"Thanks, Tamotsu!" Tsunade snatched the money and grinned at him.

Tamotsu reluctantly bid her farewell, "You're welcome, Tsunade-kun, but t-try not to lose too much. You're not very good at cards."

Tsunade waved off his advice and headed back inside the hospital.

"Sure, whatever. See ya, Tamotsu."

The redhead shook his head and sighed. At least he could always count on Tsunade's horrible losing streak to stay the same even as his cosin continued to groa and develop. Tamotsu watched her retreating back with fondness.

 **A/N: I like reading Naruto theories and I remember one of them being that Kushina is actually directly related to Mito, the first Hokage's wife, because Kushina calls her grandaunt in one of the chapters right before Kushina becomes a jinchuuriki. Yes, this whole fic is made up of crack theories and ideas brainstormed between two Naruto dweebs.**


	5. Omens and Promises

**A/N: *cackles evilly***

 **Disclaimer: *stops cackling* I don't own Naruto or anything related to it. But one day... *restarts evil cackling***

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 _"Survivors look back and see omens, messages they missed._

 _They remember the tree that died, the gull that splattered onto the hood of the car._

 _They live by symbols. They read meaning into the barrage of spam on the unused computer, the delete key that stops working, the imagined abandonment in the decision to replace it."_

-Joan Didion

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Chapter 5: Omens and Promises

Tamotsu nervously knocked on the door.

A soft yet clear voice answered, "Enter." The red-haired shinobi adjusted his new pink battle kimono he had purchased with Kushina (the other one was beyond saving) and shuffled inside the room. His eyes took in the well-decorated bedroom before falling upon the figure resting peacefully in bed.

His grandmother had often spoken favorably of her older sibling…and not so favorably when she was pissed off. She often compared Mito to the sea that cradled their village. Beautiful, calm, and elegant on the surface but underneath its waters laid something bridled with passion and fury: a whirlpool.

Mito surveyed the ninja as he knelt down beside her. A weathered hand reached out and stroked the hair clip that Tamotsu sported proudly.

"Hello, grandnephew." She said kindly. "I see my little sister grows fonder of you every day." Tamotsu blushed and shrugged his shoulders. Mito chuckled. Gently but with startling strength for her condition, she squeezed the younger Uzumaki's hands.

"How does she fare?" Mito asked, her eyes boring into his beseechingly.

"She's doing fine, obaasan." Tamotsu sighed in exasperation. "Baa-chan's is just like you remember her- full of life and mischief."

The redhead sweatdropped as he recalled his grandmother's words: _"…Tell the old hag I said hello when you get the chance, ne?"_

"Um, she s-says hello." Tamotsu smiled sadly and patted his great aunt's hand. "The clan wishes you good fortune." Mito nodded, memories of Uzushiogakure coming back to her. The sound of the waves crashing against the docked ships and the smell of the salty sea air. She'd spent many days running around the docks in her youth. Her and siblings used to gather at the dock, watching in awe as ninjas came and went. What she wouldn't give to see her homeland just one more time.

"Please do tell them I said thank you." The wrinkled face of his grandaunt broke out into wide, knowing smile. "My sister called me an old hag didn't she?"

Tamotsu flushed and stuttered, "W-W-What!? O-Of course n-not!…okay…maybe…" He trailed off when the elder Uzumaki gave him a pointed look.

She laughed good-naturedly. "I presume she caused a fuss when my nephew refused her request to accompany you and Kushina to Konoha?"

Tamotsu sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "Y-Yeah, we had to put a r-restraining seal on her before we left. Baa-chan was very upset, but uncle thought it was funny." He looked on worriedly when Mito coughed roughly. "She really misses you. I'm sorry we couldn't take her, but the journey here would have done more harm than good."

Mito nodded in understanding, "I understand. It is a strenuous journey here from what I recall. Don't worry, Tamotsu-chan. We'll see one another again some day." She said and a long sigh escaped her dry lips. Tamotsu remained quiet. Mito's eyes observed him with a warm fondness. "You look just like Keiko when she was your age. It's like looking at a portrait."

Tamotsu blinked and Mito chuckled as his cheeks pinkened. "It's a shame you weren't born a girl. You have such a wonderful body. Any man would have been lucky to have your hand in marriage. You would have born so many beautiful children."

"O-Obaasan!" Tamotsu squeaked in mortification. "P-Please don't say stuff l-like that!"

Mito laughed heartily. "Oh, Tamotsu-chan. Let a dying woman reminiscence, won't you?" She teased and Tamotsu pouted childishly. "Now where is Kushina? There are important matters I wish to discuss with my successor." The shinobi's sudden silence raised the hairs on Mito's neck. "Why isn't she here with you? Does she not know why she was brought here?" Her gray eyes zeroed in on Tamotsu's ashamed expression. "Why haven't you told her!?" Her voice had not been affected time. Her shout reverberated off the walls.

Tamotsu flinched and shrunk into himself. "I-I gained intel from m-m-my recent mission of a large amount of e-enemy-nin a-advancing towards Uzushiogakure from the north. Ojisama had no t-time to inform Kushina-kun as he has f-focused all his strengths on preparing to meet head-on with o-our e-enemies." Tamotsu retracted his hands from Mito's vice-like grip. "I-I'm so sorry. I t-truly am regretful. Ojisama forbade me from t-telling Kushina-kun."

Mito's glare softened and she sighed to herself in defeat. "My foolish nephew, leaving everything up to a dying old woman. How cruel. My heart aches at such blatant insensitivity. Tell your uncle to be wary when his time comes. I'll be waiting for him."

Tamotsu smothered his giggle at his great aunt's dramatics. Yes, she was his clan's most revered seal master and had been a force to reckon with in her youth (still is, according to her grip) but she was an Uzumaki at heart. And no amount of flashy titles would be able to drive out the Uzumaki's love for the dramatics.

Tamotsu bid the sweet woman goodbye for what seemed to be the last time.

Mito watched him go. His retreating form was soon joined by a translucent version of herself and her brother in their youth. A bittersweet smile found its way on her face. Soon she would join all those she had lost in the Pure Land. She knew they were all waiting for her, especially her dork of a husband and their daughter, Tsuna. Mito closed her eyes and concentrated. Hundreds of colorful flairs lit up her mind. Some chakra signatures were larger than others, but they were all lively and bright. Hashirama would be content to know that that even during these trying times the village was still bursting with life.

 _Page Break no Jutsu!_

Tamotsu stepped out of Mito's room only to be knocked backward with the force of someone much stronger crashing into him.

Tsunade regained her footing and seized Tamotsu by the strap of his shoulder holster before he could go flying through the wall.

"Tamotsu! Thank Kami I found you! I-I have to tell you something." The terrified look in his cousin's eyes had him reaching for his sealing scroll immediately. He'd never seen her this scared before. "You know how I never win at anything, right!?" Tamotsu fervently nodded. "Yeah!? Well, I was playing one of those slot machines. Ya know, the one with all the pictures and stuff? And I won." Dread filled his gut as the young Senju frantically continued. "I didn't just win a little bit, I won the whole freaking jackpot. A-And then the pictures just changed."

Tamotsu blanched. He wasn't a superstitious person per say but his little cousin had always been a special case. Tsunade had a reputation, one that had reached even his ears, for always losing. She never won. Like ever. And if she did it was quickly followed by chaos. He had firsthand experience with this. There was a distinct moment he remembered from his younger years that he'd never forgotten. Tsunade had only recently been promoted to genin and the three of them were indulging the girl in a game of cards suitable for Nawaki to join in. It was then he had learned that nothing ever good came from her winning. When Tsunade had won his pet hamster had died by some mysterious circumstances and a sudden earthquake devasted the housing sector. Tamotsu was quick to arrive and prevented the other buildings from falling by whipping up a few strengthening seals. Luckily, there had been no casualties. Only a few serious injuries that warranted an immediate lift to the hospital.

Tamotsu's mind raced to the war and the advancing troops of shinobi marching towards Uzu. His arms reached out and gripped her shoulders. Tsunade gave a strangled shout.

"Tsunade! Tell me," he shook her lightly, "what were the pictures? What d-did you see?" His cousin may have experienced war, but that was out on a battlefield. Far away from her village, her home, her _everything_.

Tsunade's eyes grew watery. "It was a o-omen. Of death and destruction. Oh, Tamotsu I'm so sorry." Tears poured down the teen's face. He knew she was recalling the images.

"Tsunade," he said more gently, hoping his soft voice would soothe her, "it's very important that you tell me what you saw."

The kunoichi's face scrunched up into a painful grimace.

"A kunai, the Uzumaki clan symbol, and the kanji for 'four'." She whispered, tears falling rapidly down her cheeks.

The word slipped out of his mouth unbidden, "Death." He felt like vomiting. "Oh Kami…no, no, no." Tamotsu's grip slackened and he stepped back in horror. No, it couldn't be right. Uncle had assured him that the threat would be dealt with. There was no way anything bad could happen unless-

"Tsunade? Tamotsu? What's wrong, children?" Mito asked, walking as fast as she could towards the two. Her head hurt with all the emotions she was sensing.

 _Fear. Dread. Guilt. Feardreadguilt._

Tamotsu turned to her and the fear Mito saw in his eyes only increased her headache. She prompted the pair for answers again. It was her granddaughter who replied.

Tsunade wiped her eyes and went to hug her grandmother, "W-We have to tell sensei, Mito-baasan. We have to tell Sarutobi-sensei _right now_!" At the mention of her brother-in-law's student the old woman's eyes widened. This was serious if Tsunade thought it warranted the Hokage's immediate attention.

"You have to calm down and tell me-" her words were cut off by Tamotsu's wandering voice.

"It's all a distraction. They're not going to a-attack from the north." His face was one of terror. "Th-They're already there."

Mito's shocked face hardened and her mouth settled into a grim line. She turned to Tsunade. Her voice was one that commandeered respect and fear. A reminiscent of the powerful kunoichi she once was.

"Tsunade! Go inform that monkey sensei of yours to send reinforcements to Uzu right now! Tell him I sent you. No questions."

Tsunade released her grandmother and straightened. Mito admired the fire growing behind her eyes, that Will of Fire that her husband so adamantly preached about.

"Hai!" The blonde jumped out the window and disappeared in the direction of the Hokage tower.

Before Mito could even open her mouth her grandnephew was gone.

Tamotsu sprinted out of Senju compound and to Uzu's embassy next door where he shared a room with Kushina.

He had to hurry. He had to hurry. He had to hurry.

He made it there in seconds.

Kushina jumped up and screamed when he suddenly burst in.

"What's the big idea!? You scared the crap out of me, 'ttebane!" Tamotsu didn't register Kushina's presence until he had all his gear on and was halfway out the window.

"HEY! I'm talking to you! Where are you going?"

Tamotsu blinked at the small hand clutching his forearm and effectively stopping him. He spoke quickly. Time was a luxury he didn't have the moment.

"I-I-I'm sorry, Kushina-chan. For everything, but I h-have to go." He made to leave but Kushina's firm hold held him in place.

"Why do you have to go? Is something wrong? Are you going to come back?" Kushina asked and her worry only grew with each question. Tamotsu's eyes looked back and forth between the window and down at his little cousin. Oh, where had she learned that puppy-eyes no jutsu? He finally settled his gaze on the small redhead. He sighed and placed his forehead against hers. He was powerless against her chibi charms.

"Kushina?"

The girl frowned at the unusual way he addressed her (she'd never heard him say her name without the "-kun") and his sudden proximity. Not that she was protesting. The poor guy looked like he was going to have a mental breakdown or something.

"Yeah, what's up, nee-chan? You're being kind of weird." She thought her words over and shrugged. "Well, you're being weirder than normal."

"You have really pretty hair, little tomato-chan."

Yup, her cousin was acting extra weird today and bordering on creepy.

Kushina blushed and whispered fiercely, "Don't call me that, you pervert! You're a liar, you know my hair isn't pretty. It's rough and dull. Your hair is the pretty one, baka." What was up with him? Had he hit his head on the way over here? Oh well, at least his breath didn't stink.

Tamotsu chuckled and brought up his hand to gently stroke her hair. This…this was probably the last time he'd see her for a long time… or forever if Tsunade's omen carried through.

Kushina relaxed against her cousin. He could be kinda girly and was a complete whacko in the battlefield, but she could tell that he really did care about her. She wasn't just another distant (or close, in their case) relative that he was forced to babysit or another mission among many. No, he cared about her personally. Always slyly offering to stop on their journey because he 'was tired' just so she wouldn't have to say it herself and offering her the first catch whenever he finished hunting. Kushina felt warm. What had she done to earn his love? All she knew from her grandaunt was that while she'd been just a baby it had been Tamotsu's duty as the eldest son of the main family to look after her.

"Do you know what my name means?" The twenty-year-old asked out of the blue. Kushina shook her head, accidentally shifting the man's hitai-ate. "It means defender or protector."

Kushina looked up at the taller shinobi as he pulled a black hair clip from his long hair. "I promise on my life, Kushina, that I will always come back for you. You are family and I have sworn to always protect my family." The man gently pried her hand open and laid the hair clip in her palm. "No matter what trials await you in the future just remember that we are Uzumakis and Uzumakis never give up, 'ttebaru!" He closed her fist over the hair ornament and smiled. "This was my mother's. I'm entrusting it to you so take g-good care of it for me until I return." Tamotsu turned around and hopped onto the ledge of the window. He could probably make the week-long journey in three days or maybe one day if he pushed himself hard enough.

Fear gripped Kushina as she thought of the ongoing war raging behind Konoha's walls.

"Wait! Tamotsu-nee! What if you d-don't come back? What if something happens or-"

The redheaded ninja swiveled around and tapped the girl on the nose lightly.

"I promised you that I would come back to protect you. Promises and family are very important, but promises to your family are the most important of them all." Kushina stared at him. Tamotsu was actually being kinda, ya know, cool. "Not even d-death can stop me." He grinned cheekily and pointed at himself. "They d-don't call me the Uzumaki's Zombie Kunoichi for n-nothing and besides," Tamotsu blushed and rubbed the back of his neck, "I gotta come back for my hair clip, ne?"

A grin grew on Kushina's face and she nodded, "Hai! Good luck, nee-chan." The shinobi giggled and waved his hand before suddenly vanishing from the room. The child rushed to window and could barely make out her cousin's long hair shimmering in the distance as he flitted through the rooftops.


	6. Battle for Uzu

**A/N: *Sobs* I'm a terrible person! Anyways, shout out to all ye awesome nerds who reviewed, followed, and added my weirdo fic to your favorites. It makes me all giddy n'stuff.**

 **Disclaimer: Sometimes I'm glad I don't own Naruto.**

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 _"The ultimate test of man's conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard."_

― Gaylord Nelson

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Chapter 6: Battle for Uzu

Tamotsu didn't know if Hiruzen would heed Tsunade's warning (although with Mito lurking around the man would have to be stupid) or if they even had enough shinobi to spare. They were in the middle of the Second Shinobi War and Konoha's forces were already spread thin. Sending troops to aid Uzushiogakure would leave Konoha's defenses vulnerable.

Either way, Tamotsu wasn't going to sit and wait around for the famed _God of Shinobi_ (why did he get a cool nickname?) to make up his mind. Everything he knew was at stake. So instead of sitting on his ass for news or freaking out (which he still felt like doing), he set off at a pace that would've left even the second Hokage in awe.

Kami bless his Uzumaki genes.

A foreboding feeling settled upon him as he neared his whirlpool's borders. He'd been traveling for…uh…actually he had lost track of time, but it felt like an eternity. He clenched the straps of his special sealing scroll anxiously. Why couldn't he go faster? He needed to get home to warn the others. A few more hours or so (again, he really couldn't tell) could hear the faint sound of something rumbling in the distance.

He was quickly approaching the bridge connecting Uzu and Fire Country. It was the only bridge and was located north of the small village. It was fiercely patrolled and safeguarded with who knows how many seals. The only other opening was the docks, but in order to reach it, you'd have to navigate through the treacherous whirlpools the island was famous for. Not to mention the giant sea creature that has been guarding his people since the village's founding. Some had theorized it has been living there since the days of the Sage of Sixth Paths. No one had ever seen it, though. But it has shown no ill will towards his people and so they let the beast be. However, it was a rather common D-rank mission for genin to go out and feed it. It was really fond if sweets.

Tamotsu came to a stop and held his hand up to his mouth. The once magnificent bridge was in shambles. Entire sections of it were missing and the seals that had once protected it flickered uselessly. But that wasn't what stopped him. A giant serpent-like monster lay in the middle of the bridge. Its eyes were closed but as Tamotsu neared it he could see the creature's chest rise and fall. It had taken a lot of damage. There were patches of missing scales and various weapons embedded along its body.

Tamotsu patted the beast on its snout. It had fought well, judging by the blood staining its lips. Tamotsu summoned chakra to legs and jumped over the Whirlpool's Monster.

Something feral began bubbling its way the surface as Tamotsu landed on the side of the monster. Bodies of both the enemy and his village's shinobi lay still and cold on the floor. The redhead took out his scroll and unraveled the first portion before warily sprinting to where the entrance walls to Uzu lay in crumpled heaps.

The young man immediately spotted what his village was up against. Hundreds upon hundreds of masked ninjas fought, slaughtering his proud village's shinobi and kunoichi. But whatever damage they managed to inflict on his people they returned tenfold. If one or two of his own died, ten enemy nin would quickly take their place.

"Tamotsu!" A strong, tall shinobi greeted him with a forced grin as he mowed down his opponents with a huge sword. The seals on the man's exposed biceps glittered with chakra as he summoned another sword.

"Hoshimi!" Tamotsu quickly ran up to his teammate and joined him as they took on five other ninjas. The redhead was irked to see that the ninjas wore blank hitai-ates.

"Despicable, huh?" Hoshimi was quick to engage the two shinobi that came charging in. Tamotsu easily immobilized the other three with a seal that turned the ground into goo. "They have the nerve to fucking attack us, but they don't even have the balls to represent their fucking village!?"

Tamotsu's opponents managed to escape, but not before Tamotsu slit the throat of one of their comrades. The smaller Uzumaki blushed and stumbled at the foul language, unknowingly dodging a shuriken headed for his face.

"H-Hoshimi-chan!" He whined as the handsome man laughed boisterously and stuck his sword through one of the kunoichis he was fighting against. Tamotsu shook his head and released a volley shuriken at his remaining enemies.

"It's true!" Hoshimi dodged a raiton dragon and threw a massive sword at the lighting user's torso. Tamotsu had no time gag when the body slumped to the floor in half because the two shinobis he was fighting against suddenly sent a combined attack of flaming wind shurikens at his person.

" _Uzumaki Fuuinjutsu: Water Barricade Release!_ " He shouted and Hoshimi had to laugh as he joined his teammate's side. The other might hold some impressive techniques but the way he yelled them out in that girly voice always made him laugh.

When he and their other teammate, Natsuki Uzumaki, had learned that Tamotsu was going to be their third genin team member he had been kind of disappointed. The boy, who he believed was a girl at the time, had looked weak with his scrawny body and fragile features. Up till then, Tamotsu's ninja skills had always been below average. The only thing that Tamotsu had ever been good at was fuuinjutsu, becoming a seal master by the age of twelve. Which had been crazy impressive and the only reason he hadn't requested to transfer teams.

The flames from the jutsu went up in steam once they collided with Tamotsu's jutsu. Tamotsu put one hand on the wall of water and poured chakra into it. The shurikens swiveled around and went flying back to their masters. Two thuds echoed and the suiton barrier fell.

They had all matured over the years, but if he had to choose, Tamotsu had certainly improved the most. He had become someone to respect and fear. Tamotsu had managed to create a unique sealing scroll capable of sealing live techniques. It didn't take much chakra to activate, but sealing live chakra was where the real setback was. As such it had to be prepared beforehand.

Tamotsu would often go around the village asking their fellow shinobi politely if he could seal some of their techniques. Those who agreed usually gave common justus while the more generous (sometimes horny) shinobi gave him big demonstrations of their flashiest and most powerful techniques.

Tamotsu reached out and yanked Hoshimi out of the way of a giant fireball.

Despite Tamotsu's timid personality and his small frame he was just as powerful as any other jounin. Maybe even stronger. It'd been a while since they sparred seriously.

Tamotsu activated the scroll and a wall of kunais sprang out. The unfortunate ninja had no time to make the seals for a barrier before the barrage reached them. Hoshimi snickered. So, yeah, he had to laugh because seeing such raw sealing power coming from one so tiny was just hysterical.

"Watch it!" Hoshimi cried and pulled Tamotsu towards him just as an explosive tag went off.

"Oh, t-thank you!" Tamotsu bowed.

"No problemo, bro." Hoshimi replied. "We should head out and find Natsuki."

"Hai!"

The duo quickly left the bridge and headed into the village to find their missing friend.

Hoshimi filled Tamotsu in on the way, "So like while you were gone babysitting these guys suddenly appeared out of nowhere and BOOM! Next thing I know I'm fighting off bastards left and right. The place has really gone to hell." Hoshimi stepped in front of his best friend and deflected a barrage of senbon with the broad side of his sword as an enemy kunoichi leaped down from a crumbling building. The muscled man feigned a stance and blocked the punches aimed at him. His dark eyes glanced at the smaller redhead who'd been forgotten.

Big mistake.

Tamotsu silently flipped over his teammate and hooked his legs around the stunned kunoichi's neck, snapping it with a quick jerk of his hips. Hoshimi smirked and pulled at the large obi tied around his pink battle kimono.

"Wanting to look cute and sexy even in the middle of war, eh?" He winked playfully as the smaller man blushed fiercely. "I can get with that."

"HOSHIMI-BAKA!" A loud voice yelled over the ruckus of war. The red-haired brute had no time to duck as their final teammate arrived and slugged him across the face. "Stop harassing poor Ta-chan! She has every right to dress prettily."

Tamotsu sweatdropped as Natsuki blushed and turned to him with a large goofy smile in place.

"I like the new outfit." His face reddened as his eyes glanced downwards. He pulled on the collar of his t-shirt. "Although it's, uh, a little shorter than, um, the last one, don't ya think?" Tamotsu blinked. Hoshimi gave him an unimpressed look. I m-mean not that

"And you call me the pervert when you're the one checking him out."

Natsuki stammered his entire body going red, "I-I was not! Ta-chan is just a very pretty girl and I'd hate for others to take advantage of her!" He smacked Hoshimi on the head. "Something you should be helping her with instead of making goo-goo eyes!"

Whenever someone mistakenly took Tamotsu for a girl and he actually managed to correct them, they would usually apologize and accept it. Then there were those who stubbornly believed that he just was a gender-confused, flat-chested woman. Since his clan was unusually stubborn and determined they normally did all they could to get him to see the 'right way' and 'accept herself for who she really was'.

But after years of being on the same team, you'd think Natsuki would take a hint? Nope, the man just wouldn't stop. When they weren't training or on a mission, Natsuki spent every waking moment pestering him with date proposals or compliments. Tamotsu loved him dearly, but Natsuki was like a brother to him and dating him just felt…wrong...

His gentle rejections only spurred his best friend to work harder. Tamotsu held hope that maybe one day Natsuki would meet a nice _real_ girl and that his infatuation would blow over. His clansman was far from ugly and any woman would consider themselves lucky to have him. Natsuki had a slim athletic build and instead of having the customary bright red hair of their clan his was a soft shade of pink that Natsuki constantly denied, but Tamotsu and the kunoichi found it endearing.

Hoshimi growled and rubbed his head, "I was just teasing him, shitface."

Natsuki smacked his head. Again. "Watch your language around Ta-chan, you big ape!"

Hoshimi groaned, "Kami, my poor head." He glared down at him. Natsuki wasn't one to be intimated and met his stared head-on "You little period-head if we weren't in the middle of all this crap I'd strangle you."

Tamotsu quickly got in between them before the argument went any further.

"If you w-wouldn't mind I would like to know what our s-status is." Natsuki broke off the glaring contest and turned to the pretty male happily. Tamotsu and Hoshimi both sweatdropped at the sudden mood swing.

"Right, of course, Ta-chan." He motioned for them to follow him as they headed to where the main fighting was taking place, making sure to keep a low profile by dampening their chakra signatures and sticking to the shadows. "From what I've seen, some of these are guys are definitely Kumo and Iwa shinobi. I think I saw some Kiri nin too. They managed to break the seals in the old sewer system which is how they got in."

Hoshimi grunted, "I knew we should have changed the stupid seals or at least block them off from the island."

Tamotsu agreed. He'd even brought it up the clan head at one point. The council had deemed his suggestion pointless, too proud to replace the relics.

"I know they're, like, ancient. Just about anyone with a jounin level of knowledge could have deciphered them and modified them with enough time. Intel thinks they've been planning this whole invasion for years, even decades. They figured they've been holed up underground for a while." Natsuki said.

Hoshimi scowled and flung an incoming ninja into a wall. There was a loud crack. The ninja didn't get back up.

"That would explain why the shipyard dudes were complaining about random cargo going missing lately. Everybody just thought they were pirates." Hoshimi glowered down at the floor. "The little cock-suckers were leeching off of us!"

Tamotsu ducked and allowed Natsuki to aim a kick to the ninja who had crept up behind him. He, in turn, flung an explosive seal tied to a kunai to a far group of unknowns. The tag exploded, incinerating the small cluster of shinobi.

The three hid behind a building as they came to a stop right outside the main battlefield.

"They've managed to take control of most of the village." Natsuki's voice quieted. "We're outnumbered and the clan is the only major fighting force Uzu has. The enemy has already eradicated the shinobi sent out north and with the surprise attack, they wiped out most of our remaining comrades."

Hoshimi nodded gravely, "Uzumaki-sama got a scroll from Konoha saying they were sending reinforcements and that you were already on your way, so I managed to get out to meet you halfway but…" The screams of pain, rage, and sorrow grew louder. Tamotsu's heart plummeted. "I don't think they'll get here in time. There's not much time left before they completely overrun Uzushiogakure and kill us all." Hoshimi finished with a grimace. Tamotsu stared into the disillusioned eyes of his friends. They looked defeated and weary from the fight that had already so quickly overcome the village's military might. Something hot and powerful found its way in his chest and he grabbed his friend's hands.

"If they can't get here in time then we'll make time. If I'm h-here that means they can't be too f-far behind." He squeezed their hands tightly. "We are Uzu's last hope, as long as we're here we can make a difference. Even if it's only a little then that's f-fine with me. Every second counts. Our friends, our family, our precious people are dying out there."

"But," Natsuki started only for Tamotsu to continue.

"We are Uzumakis and Uzumakis never give up, 'ttebaru!" The usually weak timbre in the man's voice was pushed aside and something strong took its place. Hoshimi smirked and gripped the redhead's hand firmly.

"Look at that, Natsuki, he's got some spunk him in him after all."

Natsuki gave the taller shinobi a dirty look.

"Of course she does! Don't underestimate Ta-chan just because she's a woman, you sexist pervert." A tic mark appeared on Hoshimi's forehead.

"You guys..." Tamotsu said sternly. "Now's n-not the time." He rolled his eyes as Hoshimi sent a wink his way.

"Alright. I'm in." Hoshimi let go of the man's smaller hand and unsealed a large heavy hammer from one of the seals decorating his arms. He looked down at Tamotsu and grinned. "I guess we'll make an Uzumaki out of you yet, eh? For Uzu."

Natsuki smiled and nodded his head. "For Uzu."

"For Uzu." Tamotsu agreed.

Hoshimi suddenly threw back his head and let loose a deafening war cry. "LET'S KICK SOME ASS!"

"HOSHIMI! YOU BAKA!" Natsuki shouted. "Don't just charge in there all by yourself like that, you suicidal dimwit!" The pink-haired shinobi watched the bigger man run off. Tamotsu watched in awe as chakra covered his teammate's fists and he punched his way though a house.

Natsuki rolled his eyes and turned to Tamotsu. "Oh to hell with it. Let's go, Ta-chan."

Tamotsu nodded, pulling out his sealing scroll. "Hai, Natsuki-chan." The two quickly joined the fray alongside their boisterous friend.

Tamotsu remained behind the two, providing long-range justus and creating room Hoshimi's close-range attacks. His natural strength coupled with his massive hammer made it a perfect opening for Natsuki's fast strikes as he zipped around the battlegrounds, dealing lethal blows with his kunai.

The redhead turned his head when he heard a lone cry pierce through the cacophony of battle. A lone Uzu kunoichi fought off to the side against a squadron of ninjas. She was injured and bleeding profusely but kept on fighting with a wild grin on her face, her brown eyes wide with adrenaline.

Uzumaki Shinoba, that was her name. They'd gone to the academy together. She had been a few classes ahead of him, but he remembered her clearly. It was hard to forget someone as brash and as foul-mouthed as her.

Tamotsu had always admired her confidence. Shinoba had known no fear, saying exactly what was on her mind even to their teachers and higher-class shinobi. It never won her many friends but it had earned Tamotsu's admiration and he always made a point to sit next to Shinoba whenever the girl looked lonely. Sure, she'd yell at him to piss off, but after she was done shouting they would talk quietly with Shinoba occasionally playing the flute when she wasn't in such a sour mood.

Last he heard of her was two years ago from a messily written letter sent to him via summons. It mostly contained curse words and she insulted him for being away on such a long mission. Inside, however, was a picture of a very gentle looking man standing next to a heavily pregnant Shinoba. She was looking angrily to the side in the photo, but the happy blush on her cheeks spoke of her hidden joy. Tamotsu remembered being overjoyed that someone had actually managed to wrangle in his fiery clanswoman, but there was an underlayer of sadness he felt thinking about all the things he was missing out on back home.

He might not have been there to watch her walk down the aisle with her beloved or to meet her first child, Takuya, but he was not going to let her die in front of him! Not if he could do anything about it.

Tamotsu unsealed a snarling lightning lion and jumped in front her with his kunai held up defensively.

The feline made quick work of the shinobis and pretty soon the battlefield had earned ten new bodies. Tamotsu scanned the woman's wounds and took out a roll of bandages.

"Get that crap away from me, Ta-baka." Shinoba growled, using her special nickname for him, and struggled to hold herself upright. "I can take care of myself!" With that, she leaped away into another fight with a man ten times her size. Tamotsu sighed. Why was everyone in his village so damn stubborn? He watched the red-haired girl flip in the air and land a solid heel kick on the poor fool. Baa-chan would have been impressed. Shinoba could sure take a licking.

Tamotsu paled and quickly blocked an incoming taijutsu barrage of punches and kicks. His Baa-chan! Guilt racked him as he tilted his head to the side to avoid a nasty punch. He had completely forgotten all about his grandmother! The poor woman was probably scared and alone, utterly defenseless against-

"TAKE THAT, 'TTEBASU!" Tamotsu whipped his head around and stared at the small figure valiantly brandishing a wooden staff. He distractedly flung out a fist and knocked his opponent out as he gazed in awe at the raw power the little old woman was exuding.

"You ain't seen nothing yet, kiddies!" She leaped high into the air and slammed her glowing staff onto the ground. Tamotsu jumped up just as the ground below him shook violently. He landed unevenly and stumbled on the distorted terrain. He didn't let any of that faze him as he ran over to his grandmother.

"Baa-chan! Baa-chan! O-Over here!" He yelled. The old woman turned around and watched her grandson wave his arms excitedly.

Tears filled his eyes as he neared. She was okay. Perfectly healthy and unharmed. Well, mostly. They were in the middle of a full-on invasion, after all. But still. His most precious person was okay.

And in that moment Tamotsu felt like everything would be okay. Because as long as his grandmother was sound and safe then he would have the will to fight. She was his family, the one who told him to never give up and taught him to stand up and fight for what's right. She had helped him to overcome his insecurities and to forgive the clan that had unknowingly ostracized him. She was who showed him to be patient with the clan because the clan was one made up of 'blockheads' and 'birdbrains'. His grandmother was the one who saved him from the darkness and shown him that, yes, it was okay to be weak. To recognize one's own weaknesses is what makes a person truly strong. Baa-chan was his most precious person and he would endure everything to keep her safe.

So in his elation he completely disregarded the fact that he was running blindly in the middle of a freaking battlefield.

He never noticed the slight widening of his Keiko's eyes or the way she screamed for him to dodge, to duck, to move, to do something, _anything_.

He was brought back to reality when his Baa-chan leaped forward and shrieked, "TAMOTSU!"

The sound of screaming and metal-on-metal filled his ears at the same time he turned his head and the saw the barrage of stone spears coming right for him. Then a blur of something large flashed in front of him and all Tamotsu could do was stare in horror at his best friend's face.

Blood dribbled down Hoshimi's mouth, "Jeesh, Tamotsu, ya airhead. A-Always spacing out where you aren't s-supposed to."

His grandmother quickly dispatched the doton user.

Tears poured down Tamotsu's cheeks and he stretched out a shaky hand to his comrade's face. The spears sticking out of his stomach poked him lightly as he neared him.

Why would he do that? Why did he take the hit? Why?

 _"Why? WhywhywhywhyohnopleaseKaminowhywhywhy?"_

He voiced his thoughts,"H-Hoshimi-chan? W-Why would you…"

"Die for you?" Hoshimi finished and a grin spread upon his face. Tamotsu could only watch in shock as his freind drew in a raspy breath. "B-Because we're t-teammates, Tamotsu. That's w-w-what teammates do. Protect each other." Hoshimi suddenly crumbled and his knees hit the ground hard. Tamotsu sobbed and tried to help him back up. He looked over to his grandmother who was watching the scene from a respectful distance.

"Baa-chan! We h-have to help him! Where are the medic nins-"

"They're dead, Tamotsu." She turned and violently flung two shinobi away with her staff. "There's only ten of us left. You, me, Natsuki, and a few others. Everyone's dead." The faces of her bloodied, lifeless nephew and his wife flashed in her mind. Poor, Kushina. Orphaned in less than a month.

Baa-chan looked sadly at Hoshimi who was choking in his own blood. "Or they are dying."

Tamotsu sobbed and pulled his teammate closer to his chest, ignoring the way the spikes bit into his flesh. No! No, it wasn't true! They couldn't all be dead. That was impossible.

An image of his mother and father's corpses appeared in his mind.

"No, it's not t-true, Baa-chan! No no no." He let out a wail. If only he was stronger. He could have healed his teammate with his Kanzen Tentai, but his blood limit only worked to heal minor wounds. Not even draining all the chakra from his body would heal Hoshimi. Tamotsu knew this.

The elderly Uzumaki held up her staff and parried off a violent sword sweep that would have cut her head clean off her body had it not been stopped. She knew her grandson was hurting. He'd already lost so much. Yes, he had experienced the hardships of war, but this was different. This was so much more devastating and crueler than watching a fellow shinobi die. So much more. It was like having a piece of your soul ripped away.

The old woman felt her arms shake as she blocked another sword blow from the shinobi in front of her.

"Tamotsu! You can mourn later." She grunted as a kunai dug into her shoulder. She pulled it out with her mouth, her hands busy with the sword wielder, and whipped her head to the side so the kunai landed squarely in the enemy's forehead. Baa-chan spat on his corpse. He should have worn a forehead protector.

Tamotsu sobbed and caressed Hoshimi's cheek. The man wheezed.

"You…h-have to f-fight…or was t-that little…speech o-of yours just your b-balls finally…talking?" Hoshimi said teasingly and managed to wink at the small redhead.

"Don't let Hoshimi's sacrifice be in vain, Tamotsu." His grandmother bit out and formed a seal with her hands.

" _Wind Style: Raging Tornado_!" She yelled and a small tornado burst free from her mouth and ensnared three enemy ninjas.

Hoshimi grinned wider and closed his eyes so the smaller ninja wouldn't see the fear in them. "Don't be s-such a crybaby. I'll be -okay. Go s-show those b-bastards why they c-call you the Uzumaki's Z-Zombie Kunoichi, ne?" He managed to say and then his body went slack.

"Hai." Tamotsu sniffed and stood up, clenching his fists. Hoshimi and Baa-chan were right. He could cry later but right now he had to fight.

Tamotsu backflipped over the elderly woman and stood in front her.

Baa-chan looked into her gentle grandson's eyes and marveled at the level of determination looking right back at her. Just like his mother and father.

She smirked and cracked her neck. "Ready when you are, granddaughter."

Tamotsu ignored the jibe and surveyed the area. The heart of Uzushiogakure had been turned into a battlefield. Bodies of both foe and friend lay scattered on the floor. Fires devoured family homes and what the fire hadn't eaten just crumbled under its own weight from the sheer amount of damage it had sustained. Screams and the white noise of chaos, death, and destruction echoed throughout the once peaceful village. He grimaced, looking down at the cold, dead eyes of a young girl. Perhaps she had had hopes and dreams. But those dreams died with her, unaccomplished, just another hapless victim of war.

Tamotsu looked at his grandmother and unfurled his sealing scroll.

He turned and stared straight into the eyes of his enemies as they rushed forwards to meet the duo head-on. The petite redhead clenched his fists over the scroll and readied himself.

Yes, he was scared. Yes, his heart felt like it was going to give at any moment. Yes, he was tired. Yes, he was all these things. But most of all he was angry.

"Ready?" Baa-chan asked, swirling her staff dangerously.

"Yes." Tamotsu growled, his bell-like voice reverberating like a gong.

The Elemental Nations would once again be reminded exactly why the Uzumaki clan was so feared.

Because. You. Do. Not. Mess. With. A. Pissed. Off. Uzumaki.

Keiko studied her grandson. He had been shy and as sweet as dango since the day he was born. The exact opposite of your average Uzumaki and that exact reason was why the clan had subconsciously criticized him and made the boy the village's pariah- he was different. He broke the clan's mold. Her clan and herself included were all loud, outgoing, strong, stubborn, blunt, and quick-tempered. But Tamotsu was nothing like that. He was quiet, timid, weak, passive, a pushover, polite, and patient. But never once had she ever been ashamed to call him her grandson (or granddaughter in some playful cases). Even so, Tamotsu did everything short of lying to avoid 'bringing shame upon her by associating with him'. She couldn't give a rat's ass about what anyone thought of her daughter's son.

Because at heart he truly was an Uzumaki.

She saw it in the way the fire burned in those calm blue eyes of her grandson, the way he set his dainty jaw, and how his gaze never strayed from their enemy. Other clan members and village shinobi subtly came forward, standing behind the jounin. They were all ready to stand by each other and lay down their lives for the sake of the village.

Natsuki looked down at the body of their dead teammate and gritted his teeth to keep from crying. He had to be strong.

"I told the idiot not to go rushing into battle like that."

Tamotsu gripped his scroll tighter and painfully said, "I'm s-sorry."

The pink-haired man shook his head and smiled sadly. "Don't worry about it, Ta-chan." He suddenly grabbed his hand. "You're worth dying for."

Tamotsu blushed and looked forward embarrassedly. Natsuki chuckled.

Baa-chan smiled at the two best friends.

Yes, he wasn't like all the other Uzumakis in their boisterous clan, but no one could deny the determination radiating off her grandson was anything but Uzumaki. Because that's who he was. Uzumaki Tamotsu, her precious little grandson.


	7. Death of the Uzumaki

**A/N: Hi! I started school this Monday, so I decided to type up a quick chapter before the new semester kills me. :D Sorry for any typos. I'm not really good at catching them ._.**

 **Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto you think I'd still be slaving away at college? So, no, I don't own Naruto.**

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 _"The law of sacrifice is uniform throughout the world. To be effective it demands the sacrifice of the bravest and the most spotless."_

\- Mahatma Ghandi

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Chapter 7: Death of the Uzumaki

Tamotsu cried out as a fire jutsu burnt his arm. The enemy nin took advantage of the opening and followed up with another attack. Tamotsu gritted his teeth and dodged the kunais headed for him. Akahoshi, a veteran shinobi of Uzushiogakure who had retired last year, quickly took care of the katon user with a suiton jutsu.

"Jeesh, how many of these guys are there?" He grunted and helped the twenty-year-old to his feet. Tamotsu quickly flipped over the man's back and landed a lethal kick to a kunoichi's face. Her body fell lifelessly to the floor.

"It doesn't matter how many of the the fuckers are left, but how many of _us_ are left." The kunoichi he saved earlier, Shinoba, snapped tersely. She hissed in pain and clutched the new gash on her shoulder. She was right. There was only him, Baa-chan, Akahoshi-chan, Shinoba-kun, Natsuki-chan, and maybe four others from what he could see. Nine of them left.

Nine of them left.

The others were long dead and only a fraction of the civilians had managed to escape the slaughter grounds from what he'd heard. Who knew if they had even made it out of the village. The genin resposible for the civilian evacuation littered the dirt floor; the youngest ones were always the first to go.

Tamotsu sighed. There was just too many of them.

Tamotsu watched in detached horror as Akahoshi cried out as a wind jutsu ripped him to shreds. Red splattered the already blood-soaked ground. He swallowed hard and focused his attention on the battle raging before him. He would mourn for Akahoshi, for Hoshimi, for _everyone_ is, if he even made it out of here alive.

If they managed to make it out of here alive, that is.

Tamotsu unsealed his scroll and released a fuma shuriken as retribution for the loss of yet another of his clansmen.

He heard a pained shriek in the distance.

Eight of them left.

Tamotsu continued fighting on with Shinoba and Baa-chan backing him leaped over the flaming corpse of a young shinobi who had once asked him out on a date.

Seven of them left. Ba-chan swung her staff and lead them into

Ba-chan swung her staff and lead them into Shinoba's doton trap, the immobility seals Baa-chan placed glittered faintly. The unnamed ninjas had no time to escape the piercing hold of solid earth crunching their legs before Tamotsu slashed their throats. Another body dropped to the floor. Then another and another.

Another body dropped to the floor. Then another and another.

Tamotsu wiped his tears before they began to obscure his vision. He had to keep fighting. They had to keep stalling for time. The Third Hokage's men could be arriving any minute now.

Shinoba screamed as her arm was sliced clean off. Tamotsu turned around and shrieked when her blood landed in his eyes. He blindly fought off his opponents, using his other senses to kill them off.

"FUCK YOU!" Shinoba screeched and slashed at the tanto wielder with her remaining arm. Tamotsu summoned chakra from his exhausted reserves and rushed to her aide. As if in slow-motion the tanto rushed downwards and cleanly chopped the Uzu kunoichi's head in half. Tamotsu grit his teeth and killed the enemy ninja with a summoned suiton shark. The creature roared and dived through the enemy's ranks before meeting a wet demise by an earth user.

Rage filled the once gentle shinobi and he recklessly broke away from his Baa-chan and Natsuki.

"Tamotsu!" Natsuki yelled, his agile body flying across the battlefield. The youngest of the three remaining Uzumakis paid no heed to his friend's cry or the damage being brought on his person as he slashed through the enemy's ranks.

Natsuki cursed. He was not going to let his last precious person die so recklessly. Not on his watch.

"Foolish boy!" His friend's grandmother yelled in fury while shaking her tiny fist. The slim man used his superior speed to catch up to his teammate. He had never, not in all their years together, seen the gentle soul lose his temper like this. It was animalistic in its ferocity and, to be honest, kind of a turn.

"Okay, now is not the time to be thinking with my penis," Natsuki mumbled to himself, cheeks red as he caught up to his friend.

"Tamotsu!" The pink-haired man dodged a fist. "Snap out of it! Please!" Tamotsu's eyes cleared and he stood panting in a circle of dead ninjas. Natsuki smiled shakily and clasped the other's shoulder, ignoring how Tamotsu flinched un her his touch. "Much better, Ta-chan." The two clansmen stood there for a moment. And Tamotsu almost forgot they were in the middle of an invasion.

Until a kunai shot right through Natsuki's skull and out his forehead.

Tamotsu watched as the final member of his treasured team dropped dead.

No. No. No. Nonononononononnonononononononono. NO NO NO!

His mind and very being rejected the body in front of him. No, it wasn't possible. Natsuki hadn't just died. Nope. His teammate hadn't just died. Nu uh. Natsuki hadn't just died because of _him_.

A pained yell echoed around the battlefield. He numbly looked away from the lifeless body of his childhood friend. In the distance lay his grandmother. Bruised, bloodied, and completely defenseless as she was struck down by the enemy.

Something snapped inside him. The last vestiges of anything resembling control vanished, engulfed in the liquid inferno flooding through his veins.

A wave of raw, furious chakra blasted away every shinobi within a thirty-foot radius. Tamotsu gave a heart-wrenching cry as glowing chakra chains sprouted out of his back.

"Oh my." Baa-chan watched in awe at the incredible show of power as the Uzumaki's famed adamantine sealing chains constructed an impenetrable barrier around her. It was a rarity among the clan for someone to possess even an uncompleted form of this fuuinjutsu, which could only be found in the women of their clan, but for someone to wield a fully completed version was a miracle in itself. She knew that her grandson had already manifested the chains, but the report had only spoken of maybe two or three chains. While they dealt some damage they weren't particularly powerful.

But as hundreds of chains weaved around the heart of Uzu she had to admit: her grandson's Kanzen Tentai was certainly something to marvel at.

Tamotsu stomped through the battlefield, chains darting out and spearing anyone who even _looked_ at him. Several shurikens and kunais were embedded in his legs and his left arm was torn to ribbons, exposing the bone grotesquely. He couldn't even feel the sword sticking out of his back. His bloodlimit was working overtime to keep him from passing out due to blood loss.

He just moved forward attacking and killing anything he saw.

Tamotsu couldn't care less.

It wasn't in his nature to be ruthless or merciless. No. He hated killing and often refrained from taking lives unless his hand was forced. He was gentle, forgiving, and some would say naive when it came to his ninja way. But when it came to his precious people he would do anything for them. He would lay down his life and sacrifice his ideals just to defend the clan. He would lose himself in his anger and hate ten times over if it would make him stronger to protect his friends and family. Because they were all he had. Even if the cost of saving them was losing himself in the darkness.

"GO BACK!"

"ACK!"

"Demon! She's a fucking demon! Shit shit-AHHH!"

"GET DOWN!"

"Move it!"

"Earth Style: Twist-CRAP!"

Slowly the remaining enemy forces retreated, their minds traumatized by the chain-wielding ninja single-handedly taking out hundreds of their elite shinobi.

"FUCK _THAT!_ I'm out!"

"RETREAT!"

"Screw this! The village is already a goner."

"Retreat, Retreat!

"Move your asses!"

Tamotsu's shrieks of outrage would make any banshee cringe as he watched the herd of shinobi quickly retreating.

"He's gonna die anyways. Look at those wounds."

"Yeah, no way he's getting out of this alive."

Tamotsu continued whipping his chains around until slowly there was nothing left but his destroyed village and the dead bodies all around him.

The golden chains slowly receded and faded into nothing. He stumbled over to where his grandmother lay stunned and silent. Blood poured out his mouth as he smiled tiredly. The old woman watched in horror as her grandson collapsed in front her.

"Tamotsu!" She was by his side in a heartbeat despite her own injuries and exhaustion. "You silly, selfish, stupid, little boy!" She scolded, pulling his bloodied head into her lap.

Tamotsu's blue eyes looked into hers warmly, "I love y-you too, Baa-chan." With almost all his chakra gone and various weapons sticking out of him, he looked worse than shinigami itself. The only thing keeping him alive was his Kanzen Tentai running through his veins, but the bloodlimit would not last forever.

"What were you thinking charging in there like some crazed, bird brained idiot, 'ttebasu!?" She yelled. The young man opened his mouth to respond, but coughed instead, blood gushing out his mouth.

What the world does not know is that one ripple in the fabric of time can create millions upon millions of paths. Those paths branch off and sprout more routes. Time is infinite. It has no beginning, no end. Fate is not set in stone, only determined by the choices people make.

In another timeline, Tamotsu would have been born a girl and would have married a nice man. The two would have lived happily together before they would ultimately die in the Second Shinobi War. Another paradox universe would have him never being born. Another fate would have had him been born but only to die tragically on his six-year long mission along with his two teammates. But something had shifted. Tamotsu had not been born a woman nor had he died so young. Nor would he die now.

Because the Uzumaki clan was awfully good at flipping the middle finger at Shinigami.

It was Baa-chan's impulsive thinking and actions that would alter the shinobi world for years to come. And it started all with an idea born out of desperation.

She had seen death many times. Too many. The elder was no stranger to death but watching her beloved grandson dying in front her was _unacceptable_. The grey-haired woman composed herself. Screw the Shinigami and his creepy ass. She was not going let _him_ die.

One didn't live this long without having a few tricks up their sleeves.

She dabbed her finger in her own pooling blood. The crimson liquid was stronger than regular sealing ink. Something she would need if there was even the slightest chance this would work. It was crazy. Utterly insane, yet here she was, muttering to herself as she ripped off the redhead's tattered kimono and began drawing a set of complex and intricate seals all over his body. Kami, she prayed this would work.

Tamotsu weakly watched her in confusion. He wanted to ask what she was doing but he couldn't find the strength to even open his mouth much less form a coherent sentence. So he used whatever power left in him to keep his eyes open.

One didn't live in a clan of seal masters without becoming proficient in the craft yourself. Baa-chan was no exception.

The woman finished the prototype seal and smiled triumphantly.

"Aha, looks like I've still got it me, 'ttebasu!" The old woman silently gazed into the eyes of her only grandchild. Even though she was always rough on him she really did love him.

The old woman silently gazed into the eyes of her only grandchild. Even though she was always hard on him she really did love him.

"I won't let you die, Tamotsu-chan." She whispered and stroked his cheek affectionately. The man sighed and leaned into her touch. He had no idea what was going on anymore, but he took advantage of his Baa-chan's apparent break in reality. "You have to live on, child. The Uzumaki clan must live on in you." A tear fell on his bruised cheek. "But you mustn't let your temper or thoughts of revenge dictate the path you choose. Never give up because we're-"

"U-Uzu…m-makis." Tamotsu groaned out.

To be honest he was puzzled. He was the one dying, right? Then why was his grandmother acting like _she_ was the one kicking the bucket? Regardless, he tried to reassure her. Maybe the stress of having the whole clan and the village eradicated was finally breaking what little sanity she had left. It was certainly breaking his. "I-I…promise I'll p-p-protect t-them…with my l-life." He bit his lip from crying out in pain. Now that the adrenaline had worn off he was really starting to feel the extent of his rampage. "W-Won't give up. P-Promise." Yeah, sure, he can keep that promise. From the afterlife, at least. He moaned. Talking was getting unbearably difficult and so was breathing.

Baa-chan smiled serenely down at him. "Good boy. I know you won't fail." A teasing glint entered her saddened eyes. "Isn't that right, Zombie Kunoichi?"

Tamotsu groaned. More out of embarrassment than pain this time. He was literally seconds away from greeting the Shinigami! Couldn't his grandma let him die in peace?

Guess not.

The small woman summoned her chakra into her hands. Tamotsu watched in a daze as he felt her chakra leaking into the giant seal covering him from head to toe. What kind of seal was this anyways? He'd never seen anything like it…wait…

His eyes widened in realization.

"B-Baa-chan!" He croaked, blood jumping out onto the woman's war-torn clothing. No, she couldn't possibly be using _that_ fuuinjutsu. It was forbidden! Plus, it wasn't even finished. More like a rough sketch at best and chicken scratch at its worst. If she messed up a single kanji or strayed one-half of a centimeter the jutsu would not only kill him but his Baa-chan as well.

And maybe take along of what was left of the village just for shits and giggles.

He tried to reach out to try and stop her but his body refused to cooperate. He watched through half-lidded eyes as she slowly drained all her chakra into the seal. His head felt dizzy and his vision was going all funny due to the effects of the seal and chakra exhaustion. But he could still see how pale his grandmother had become and how her legs shook violently as she stood. Her hands flew through various handsigns. He didn't hear the technique but that didn't matter. With the chakra level she had right now she wouldn't be able to pull off even a simple henge much less any other high-ranking jutsu without depleting every last drop of chakra in her system.

"I love you, you little brat." She whispered and poured all her remaining life force into the technique. The last thing the redhead saw was his grandmother's smiling face and the dirt enveloping around him before everything went black.

And with that, the last two Uzumakis in the village died.


	8. Grief of an Uzumaki

**A/N: I've been editing the chapters and expelling any typos I find. For some reason, don't know why, but whenever I press enter to move a sentence or piece of dialogue down it copies itself. So I have to go back and find all the little repeat sentences which is** _ **super**_ **annoying. Sorry 'bout that.**

 **Anyways, here's a little baby chapter on Kushina because I thought it'd be interesting to write. Didn't expect all this angsty stuff though. Oh well.**

 **Disclaimer:** _ **le sigh**_ **still don't own the wonderful world of Gumball, er, I mean Naruto. Sorry, wrong fandom**

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 _"Grief does nor change you, Hazel. It reveals you."_

\- John Green, A Fault in Our Stars

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Chapter 8: Grief of an Uzumaki

Kushina stared numbly at the floor, silently sitting on the swing located in front of the academy. A strong gust of wind blew through. The swing moved forward, dragging Kushina's ninja sandals in the dirt. The young girl shivered but remained unmoving.

Everybody was gone and they would never be coming back. Stubborn tears pricked at her eyes. She clenched her teeth as her heart writhed painfully inside her. Kushina lifted a shaky hand and fisted the material above her heart.

 _"It hurts so much. Why did they have to go? Why did they leave me here?"_ The eight-year-old thought pleadingly.

Kaa-chan, Tou-chan, the boys she always picked fights with, that nice old lady who gave her sweets, her grandaunt, Tamotsu, _everybody in her whole village-_ they were all dead.

Then to add salt to her wounds she was informed that the reason she had been brought here was not for her safety but to become the Kyuubi's next jinchuuriki because of the special chakra she possessed. The Kanzen Tentai bloodlimit Tamotsu had told her about on the journey here was now something she cursed. She should have known. At least her dying predecessor, Mito-baachan, had been kind and the two Uzumakis took comfort that, no, they weren't the last of their clan. That they still had each other.

But then not too long after the Nine-Tails had been sealed into her, Mito had just upped and died. It was mostly due to her old age and the effect of having the greatest of all the nine Bijuus pulled out of her.

Mito Uzumaki had died in the wee hours of the morning with nothing but her own company.

Kushina quickly gripped the metal chains of the swing when a new wave of grief threatened to knock her off.

So now she was all alone in a strange village- no friends, no family, and she had a monster stuck inside her.

She felt so _alone._ Kushina let out a shaky sigh. She was alone. Having lived in a boisterously abundant clan she had never felt loneliness like the one she was now engulfed in. There was no one to laugh with, no clansmen to prank, no mother to kiss her good luck, no father to annoy the hell out of, nobody for her swindle sweets, no one to greet her when she came back from another dull day at the academy. Nothing but echoes and shadows.

Kushina shook her head, her hair swaying in the wind. No, she wouldn't cry. She wasn't some little kid anymore. She was a kuniochi in training and one day she'd strong enough to fight against those who dared threatened her precious people.

Traitorous thoughts slinked into her head, speaking the hard cold truth, _"What precious people? There's no one but you. You're the only one left. Poor little Kushi-chan. All alone."_

The chilling weather finally caught up to her, further proving her thought's point as the cold seeped into her.

"No, I-I won't cry," the child lost her internal battle as tears rolled down her cheeks, but she still stubbornly refused to admit defeat, "crying is for b-babies." Kushina sniffled.

Her parents had told her that they'd join her, that she wouldn't be alone. They never came.

He had promised- Tamotsu had given his word that he would come back. And now he never would. No one was coming back. Not her father. Not her mother. Not Tomotsu. No one.

It was this war. All this hatred and fear in the world was the root of her anguish. It wasn't anybody's fault to feel scared, feeling was a part of human nature no matter how much everyone tried to deny and shove their emotions away. It was because people had been hurt and scared that they did bad things. It why wars were started, why people cried over a broken heart, and why her village had ended in destruction. Kushina's father had once told her that all people started good and it was what they and other people do that told how their story ends.

Kushina's father had once told her that all people started good and it was what they and other people do that told how their story ended.

She suddenly stood up, staring up at the Hokage mountain. Her eyes flashed steel.

Ya know what? She was going to get rid of all that hatred and fear so nothing like what happened to Uzushiogakure would ever happen again. This was her story and she wouldn't let it end all sad and weepy. The redhead would bring peace to all the Hidden Villages even if it took her her whole life to do it!

She grinned and fingered the hair clip that Tamotsu had entrusted to her. Yeah, Konoha might not be home to her yet but it would be someday. And in order to protect her future home from the horrors of war she was going to have to do something big. Something kinda crazy. Something impossible.

Something just so Uzumaki.

Kushina threw back her head and shook her fist up at the sky.

"I'm going to become the first female Hokage of this village! Ya hear that, Kaa-chan, Tou-chan?" Somebody shouted for her to keep her voice down, but if anything her voice got louder. "I'll carry out your promise, Tamotsu-neechan! I'll protect _everyone_ in the village, 'ttebane! Just like what you guys did." She proclaimed triumphantly. She lowered her hand and placed them both on her hips. "Because Uzumakis never give up, ya know!" The grey-eyed girl rubbed at her eyes and made her way back to the Uzumaki embassy. Her mind and soul were still hurting but her spitfire attitude had returned. This was just the beginning of her story. Sure, it wasn't so good right, but kind of badass story didn't have sad parts. Only silly children's books were full of rainbows and happy-go-lucky weirdos. She'd be damned if she let her story end like this or her name isn't Kushina Uzumaki, 'ttebane!


	9. Tomato

**A/N: Whoops, sorry for disappearing for so long. I accidentally deleted this chapter and a couple others and I was super grumpy about it. Anywho, here's more Kushina because I love her and she's an adorable little rebel. And because I don't know what to write about ugh stupid writer's block.**

 **Disclaimer: Still don't own Naruto.**

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 _"_ _People in the real world always say, when something terrible happens, that the sadness and loss and aching pain of the heart will "lessen as time passes," but it isn't true. Sorrow and loss are constant, but if we all had to go through our whole lives carrying them the whole time, we wouldn't be able to stand it. The sadness would paralyze us. So in the end we just pack it into bags and find somewhere to leave it."_

\- Fredrik Badman

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Chapter 9: Tomato

Kushina slung her backpack on her shoulder and made her way to the Uzumaki embassy silently. She tried to ignore the wide berth the other children gave her and the way some of the adults looked at her with such _pity._ The young girl frowned and looked straight ahead. She didn't need their pity; she was strong enough on her own and one day she'll show them just how strong she will be when she's announced Hokage.

" _Oh, Kushina-chan~_!" One of the more annoying boys from her class sing-songed mockingly. Kushina ignored him. She couldn't afford to get into another fight. She didn't want to disappoint the old man Hokage. So the redhead focused ahead and made a turn behind the residential areas into a small alleyway as a shortcut. Three pairs of feet padded annoyingly behind her, their whispering voices reaching her ears. Kushina rolled her eyes as she caught her name in between the indecipherable mumbles.

"Yo, Kushina! Kushina! _Kushiiiiiiiiinaaaaa_!" They called in unison. Kushina gripped the straps of her backpack tightly. Man, they were really getting on her nerves! Why couldn't they just leave her alone already? You'd think after she shoved her fist in their faces last week they'd be put off. "Hey! Kushina! Kushina! _Kushiiiiiiiiinaaaaa_!" Seriously? Couldn't they just leave her alone? Were they just that obsessed with getting beat today? Kushina turned a corner, her stalkers following her diligently.

"We're talking to ya, baka! Can't ya hear us calling you or are you deaf as well as stupid?"

Kushina stopped and let out a long breath. Did they just call her stupid? Her temper flared, but she calmed immediately when she remembered the old Hokage's wrinkled, smiling face. She really didn't want to break her promise to the geezer so soon after she made it. The redhead continued onward, trying to ignore the taunting laughter behind her.

But if they yelled out her name one more time she was-

She was interrupted from her inner rant by a lone voice, "Tomato- _chaaaaaan~_! _"_

Kushina growled and whipped her head around. The tallest of the three academy students smirked at her. Kushina glared at him fiercely.

"Call me that one more time," Her upper lip curled up in a silent snarl. One of the boys sweat-dropped, but the other two were cocky enough to stay put. "C'mon. I _dare_ you."

The tallest boy's smirk grew wider but he remained silent. Kushina huffed and turned around. Smug little toads. They're lucky she was holding back for the old man's sake. Don't want him keeling over something so stupid like her getting into another fight or more trouble.

A small voice murmured wearily behind her before she heard two loud inhales, "Tomato! Tomato! Tomato! Tomato!" Two of the boys chanted repeatedly.

 _"OKAY THAT'S IT, 'TTEBANE! SORRY OLD MAN BUT SOMEONE'S GONNA GET IT TODAY!"_

"Whaddya call me, 'ttebane!?" She charged towards them. The trio's eyes widened in fear and they ran away yelling curses directed at her. Kushina stopped short and huffed angrily.

Okay, she knew her face was round and kinda chubby; her bright red hair didn't help either, but that didn't mean they had a right to call her that. She hated that name. It only served to remind her how alone and different she was in this village.

 _"…pshh…one day they'll be calling you tomato too…"_

Kushina startled as the voice of her long-dead cousin rang through her head. Damnit! She thought she had stopped doing that! Hearing voices wasn't exactly helping her situation. But... she remembered that day clearly- the last night she saw Uzushiogakure happy and _whole._ Tamotsu had said in retaliation of her teasing. It had been a nice evening, ya know, before her whole world had literally come burning down. The young ninja-in-training shook her head to rid herself of the painful memories and focused instead on trying to forget the bell-like voice of her older cousin. She couldn't just wallow in the past, regretting and cursing everything like this. She had to move on, if not for herself then in honor of her fallen clan.

Kushina turned around and walked past the quiet Senju compound. The place looked lonely. Kushina had only seen a handful of people inside the noble clan grounds. Most of them were retired ninjas and she'd even caught glimpse of a few ANBU entering some of the houses. There were few Senjus left so they mostly kept to themselves, but they were kind to her, always ready to greet her with a friendly hello and a genuine smile- not the fake ones that everyone showed her when they weren't glaring. But she'd seen the looks the Senju gave her when they thought she wasn't paying attention as she talked about her day. They always looked so pained and forlorn, their eyes lingering on her vibrant hair.

Kushina didn't like staying too long, not wanting to cause more pain to the few who were nice to her.

"At least I kept my promise," The redhead grumbled and kicked a stray can as she entered the embassy's entrance. Kushina deactivated the worn out security seals, she'd have to find some way to make some more, and stepped inside the empty house.

"I'm home," She announced solemnly. Her voice echoed down the hall. Kushina slipped off her

Kushina slipped off her ninja sandals and placed them next to a larger, dusty pair of house slippers. The girl sighed sadly and stared down at them. Three years and gone by and she still couldn't find the willpower to throw out Tamotsu's slippers.

The memory of her weird cousin refused to leave her. Kushina wasn't sure whether she should feel sad or happy. Tamotsu had left a lasting impression on her. She knew he was different right from the start, but that had never stopped him from becoming a kickass shinobi. "I guess you were right, pervert, hehe." The girl allowed a small, bittersweet smile to grace her face.

"I guess you were right after all, pervert, hehe." The girl allowed a small, bittersweet smile to grace her face.


	10. So Close

**A/N: Don't worry. This fic couldn't possibly go on without Tamotsu because this is not a circus and yeah.**

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 _"When something feels off, it is."_

 _-_ Abraham Hicks

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Chapter 10: So Close

The shrill scream of a frightened young girl echoed throughout the village.

And somewhere, on an island long forgotten, in a village that had fallen to its knees, something stirred.

 _"Fuck!"_ A deep, unknown voice yelled. _"Hurry up and wake up already, you lazy fuck!"_

Eyelids flickered but remained shut.

 _"Shodai's balls!"_ The voice screamed in frustration. _"We were **so** close that time."_

 _Awkward Page Break Hi_

The horrifying realization that no one was going to come after her settled into the genin's heart as the Kumo ninjas escorted her through the dense forest. Her steps became more sluggish as she was numbly lead like a lamb to the slaughterhouse.

Who knows what they'd do to her? Sure, she knew she was valuable not only as a jinchuuriki but as the last known Uzumaki alive. And the clan's ex-heiress and holder of it's most coveted Kekkai Genkai to boot. Plus she was a girl. A bad taste found it's way into her mouth and her stomach twisted at the horrifying images her brain conjured. Kushina wasn't stupid or naive. She knew the stories, to what happened to the kunoichis who were captured. But the worst part, more disheartening than the inevitable torture and confinement, was that no one was looking for her

But the worst part, more disheartening than the inevitable torture and confinement, was that no one was looking for her _._ Sure the old man had probably sent a team to investigate her disappearance by now, but they would be looking for a jinchuuriki. They weren't looking for _her_. She was just another tool in the village's eyes.

 _"No matter what trials await you in the future just remember that we are Uzumakis and Uzumakis never give up, 'ttebaru!"_

The kunoichi's eyes widened. Okay. That was weird. Sure, she sometimes heard the voices and even saw the images of her dead clansmen, but it's been a while since she last heard that soft voice. Her lips twitched in an effort to smile as she trudged on. Not even death could keep her cousin from reaching out to her. With renewed determination, she began subtly dropping strands of her hair onto the floor. Hope. She would not give up so long as she had hope. Maybe, _maybe_ someone would find her.

She blinked away the tears. She really missed Tamotsu. He'd promised he would always protect her. Why had he broken his promise? Why did he have to die? She missed everyone _so much_. Her mother, her father, everyone in the village, _even_ Tamotsu's crazy grandmother. It's been a few years and she'd already graduated from the academy, but the pain and grief was all too fresh.

"I won't give up," Kushina whispered. Her mother would have smacked her to kingdom come for even thinking of giving up. No, she was Uzumaki Kushina, and she will _never_ give up, 'ttebane!


	11. Hairclip

**A/N: Ah, one of my favorite ships**

 **Too bad they die like everything else I love ;A;**

 **Again, don't worry about Tamotsu. There's a reason for the title I picked (which originated from a sugar-high induced bet at 2:30 am but that's beside the point)**

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 _"Sometimes you meet a person and you just click- you're comfortable with them, like you've known them your whole life, and you don't have to pretend to anyone or anything."_ \- Some Quote I Found on Google

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Chapter 11: Hairclip

Minato sighed contently and buried his face in his wife's hair. Everything about her was so beautiful. But his favorite thing about her was her hair, bright and full of life like herself.

Apparently, he said this out loud much to his embarrassment and Kushina's joy. She laughed and slapped the arms encircled around her waist playfully.

"Jeesh, Mina-kun, get any more sappy and I might just marry you." Her eyes widened and she put on an over exaggerated face of realization. "Oh wait! I already did that. Isn't that right, Minato _Namikaze-Uzumaki_?" The redhead laughed and Minato blushed at her teasing tone, but felt nothing but contentment. He had to be the luckiest man on earth. Not only was his wife gorgeous, smart, funny, and a firecracker but she also loved him just as much as he loved her. Which was a lot of love, like a crazy amount because he practically worshiped the ground she walked on. Or so everyone tells him.

Minato practically melted against his wife as they cuddled on the couch. Kushina looked at her husband and rolled her eyes at the utter adoration shining on his face. The young woman leaned over and pecked him on the nose. Two rosy dots blossomed on the blonde man's cheeks. He sighed contently.

Ah, he loved her so much.

The two looked at one another for a moment before Minato's eyes trailed upwards to her hair. She had the loveliest hair in all the elemental nations and he always made sure to remind her of this every chance he got. It was their very own red thread of fate. He unwrapped an arm from her waist and caressed the strands beneath his fingers.

"You have very pretty hair, _Tomato-chan~_." The jounin teased without a care because he knew only he could get away with it. At least with minimal damage to his person.

 _"You have really pretty hair, little tomato-chan."_

Kushina smiled as the voice of her cousin echoed in her head. Sure it was weird and people would say she was batshit crazy, but her long dead cousin's soft voice never failed to soothe her. Having come from a clan full of annoying meatheads it was a pleasant change while it had lasted.

Kushina raised a brow playfully, "Tomato-chan, eh?"

Minato smiled sheepishly and shrugged. The Uzumaki giggled and hugged her husband close. She loved these small moments between her and Minato. After Obito's and Rin's death her husband had grown somber and constantly fretted over Kakashi who had distanced himself off from everybody. So she cherished these interactions because she just wanted to see the blonde happy again. It was uncommon to see him genuinely happy without a mask shrouding his face. Nowadays, all she saw was that fake little mask he put on for everyone else, but she always saw right through it. She was the only one.

Minato's hand that had been petting her hair landed on something hard and he looked to see his fingers had brushed against her hair clip. Now that he thought about it his wife had always worn it since their academy days up till now. He'd only seen her take it off to take a shower and even then she placed it in a sealing scroll. Minato had never questioned her, knowing already that his wife could be a tad… _excessive_ about some things so he had kept his inquiries to himself.

But Kushina seemed to be in a good mood today, so as his curiosity reached a fever pitch, he opened his mouth.

"Kushina-chan?" Konoha's Yellow Flash started nervously. "I've um always been curious about that hair clip. I know it's very important to you. Was it a gift?" Suddenly, a terrifying thought entered his head. What if it was from a childhood sweetheart back in Uzu? Or from some perverted man trying to win over his Kushina or maybe it was ancient weapon of mass destruction-

The redhead laughed. Minato blinked and his face felt hot when saw the knowing look on the kunoichi's face. He'd always been an open book to his wife.

Kushina smiled and unclipped the barrette, handing it to Minato. The man carefully cradled it. His blue eyes narrowed in on the object as he inspected it. There were no hidden seals or inscriptions. It was just a simple, harmless hair clip. Looking at the sad expression on his beloved's face he knew that despite it's completely ordinary appearance this one little black object held more weight than the Hokage mountain. Minato waited patiently for his wife to speak.

"It was entrusted to me by one of my clansmen, my older cousin Tamotsu Uzumaki." Something about the name sounded familiar to the jounin but he couldn't quite put his finger as to why. Minato mentally shrugged. It was probably nothing.

Kushina continued on in that same nostalgic yet pained tone,

"He was in the leaf village around the time my village was destroyed. I caught him when he was leaving. I remember him looking so scared like he knew what was going to happen, but he went anyways. He told me he'd come back for the clip. He promised me that he'd always be there to protect me." Tears brimmed in her eyes. Years had passed since that fateful day and the events leading after. She had accepted all their deaths but the pain still lingered. The wound had closed but there was that ugly scar left on her psyche that wouldn't let her forget. "He was kinda weird, ya know? When I first met him I thought he was a girl. He actually kinda reminds me of you sometimes." Minato was engrossed in what his wife was revealing to him, so he ignored the fact that she basically implied that she thought he was girly-looking. Kushina smiled through her tears and Minato hugged her closer. "But he was strong. I remember watching him fight and, to be honest, I totally thought we were gonna die. Seriously, Tamotsu was a total when he wasn't fighting," Kushina said with a snort, "He scared me half to death when he took a kunai straight through the chest. I thought he was a hero after that. My hero." Kushina sighed sadly. "Ya know what? I didn't even know him that long. Is that weird? To miss someone so much when you only knew them for a little while?"

Kushina smiled through her tears and Minato hugged her closer. "But he was strong. So strong. I remember watching him fight and, to be honest, I totally thought we were gonna die. Seriously, Tamotsu was a total wuss when he wasn't fighting," Kushina said with a snort, "He scared me half to death when he took a kunai straight through the chest. I thought he was some badass hero after that. My hero." Kushina sighed sadly. "Ya know what? I didn't even know him that long. Is that weird? To miss someone so much when you only knew them for a little while?"

Minato just smiled and shook his head, "No, I don't think it's strange. People can become important to you in a matter of seconds or years. It's the impression they had on you and the strength of your bonds that determine if they're precious or not." Minato wiped the tears from her cheeks and placed the hair clip back in her hair. "I think he sounded like a wonderful shinobi. I would have been honored to have met him."

Kushina grinned. "Yeah. I think he would have loved to meet you too. He's kinda shy and all blushy at first but he warms up pretty quickly." She pictured her cousin's bashful mannerisms when they first met and how he had swiftly transformed into a doting older sibling through their journey together. "I was a kid then and anything big or flashy would have impressed me, but Tamotsu-neechan…was different." Minato listened to his wife thoughtfully. "He wasn't like anyone I'd ever met in the clan and even though he was kinda weird I thought he was special." Kushina reached up and touched the clip. "He told me to never give up and in honor of his memory I will _never_ give up, 'ttebane." Minato admired the look of determination glittering in the Uzumaki woman's blue-steel eyes.

He suddenly frowned, " Did you say nee-chan? I thought you said he was a boy?"

Kushina snorted, "He might as well have been born a girl! You should have seen him. Jeesh!" She snickered. "I only knew he was guy because he kept whining about it _and_ we took baths together." At Minato's affronted expression she punched him lightly in the shoulder. "And don't look so scandalized! I was a kid and Tamotsu was very gentlemanly about the whole. If anything, _I_ was the pervert, always invading his bath time. One time I turned his hair pink and he had to wear a genjutsu when were in town." Kushina laughed at the memory. "His grandma always used to tell us stories about all his bathhouse escapades, so it wasn't that weird for Tamotsu-nee to bathe in the woman's section from what I remember. The guys all gave him funny looks. At least he wasn't some crazy pervert like _somebody's_ sensei."

Minato sighed in exasperation at the mention of Jiraiya. Kushina laughed again and suddenly stood up.

"Let's go get some ramen, 'ttebane!" With that she hoisted her husband up by the collar of his shirt and dragged him outside through the streets. "To Ichiraku Ramen, best noodles in all the Elemental Nations, ya know!" People threw themselves out of the way as the Red Hot-Blooded Habanero rocketed through the village with a resigned blonde flying limply behind her.


	12. Nine-Tail's Attack

**A/N: hi**

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 _"Sacred signs always come when your soul calls out in pain or joy."_

 _-_ Lawren Leo

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Chapter 12: Nine-Tail's Attack

Kushina screamed in agony as the Nine-Tailed beast within her was forcefully being ripped out of her by the orange masked-nin. Why was he doing this? Didn't he know what the Kyuubi was capable of? An ear-splitting scream tore through her mouth as she felt the large chakra beast being slowly pulled out of her, its malicious chakra burning her skin as her body raced to heal the injuries. Her restraints bit into her flesh as she writhed in agony. Her throat burned and begged for her stop but the pain was too much. She'd bite off her tongue if she tried keeping silent.

Where was Minato? She couldn't couldn't possibly hope to get away from this monster alive with the condition she found herself in. Her body convulsed violently as the Kyuubi no Kitsune was finally free of its human prison. With a deafening roar that overshadowed Kushina's own, he reared back his head, eyes morphing into the infamous sharingan eyes of the Uchiha clan.

 _Hello don't mind me just another awkward page break bye_

Somewhere in Uzu, underneath the ruins of the once proud village, a seal flickered to life. The cries of a girl long since grown up reverberating through the mindscape of the sole survivor.

 _"Hurry the fuck up and wake up already, Tamotsu-gaki!"_ A familiar, deep voice echoed around the man's head.

A hand shot out the dirt. It relished in the feeling of the cool moist air. The ground trembled as a head of dirty red hair burst through the ground. The man gasped and greedily gulped down the fresh air. He wiped the dirt from his face and scrambled out of his pseudo grave.

Tamotsu Uzumaki, the village's Zombie Kunoichi, had arisen.

"W-Wha-at?" His throat was scratchy and dry from years of disuse. He gazed around in shock at the crumbled, corroded structures of his home. Memories of the invasion came racing back, of blood, scream- oh the _screams_! The shrill cries echoed around his head once more. But one cry managed to grab hold of his attention. It sounded different, much older than he remembered but that pitch and volume could only come from one person.

"K-Kushina-kun!" He cried out loud.

A promise he had made resurfaced and he felt something pulling at him. He took off without a second thought. The feeling was strong and even though his limbs felt like they'd snapped, he didn't slow down. Tamotsu had no idea where he was going, letting the pulling sensation and his instincts guide him. It was not until he reached the familiar forests of Fire Country that he realized he was headed towards the Leaf village.

Tamotsu gasped and came to a sudden stop, tripping over his feet. Tinging the air and his all senses was an outrageous amount of killing intent. It snaked around him as he shakily got off the floor and wrapped around his neck in its oppressive grip. Tamotsu's breaths quickened and he fought the panic away, urging his legs not to crumple under the weight of the KI as he stood back up.

Dread, fear, panic, _everything_ filled him.

 _"Well this is the most intense fucking omen we've ever felt."_ The same voice from earlier said. Tamotsu gasped and held his head tightly. What was that? He looked to the sides for the voice's owner. Where had it come from?

 _"I'm in your head, dumbass."_ The redhead's eyes widened and his hold tightened.

 _"Who a-are you?"_ He thought tentatively. The jounin could feel the entity practically smirking now.

 _"You'll find out soon. But we've got bigger shit to worry about now. I didn't slap your sleeping-beauty-ass up for nothing."_

Tamotsu gripped the sleeves of his tattered kimono tightly. The voice, whatever it was, was right.

Something was happening. Something horrible had happened to his little cousin. He knew it. No matter how irrational it sounded he knew something terrible had happened. He just hoped he wasn't too late.

Tamotsu gritted his teeth. No. He had made a promise to Kushina and to his Ba-chan that he would protect them no matter what. With that determination set in he began traveling at an unimaginable pace. People who managed to catch a glimpse of him could only describe his red long hair as he basically flew by them. Whispers circulated around towns about the mysterious shinobi. But one thing was certain. Whoever they may be, they were definitely headed for Konoha.


	13. Spicy

**A/N: Sorry about all the short chapter. Hehe, yeah, um I'm not that good at knowing when to stop or start and all that writer-stuff intricacies. But the next chapter is gonna be, like, _super_ long because, ya know, _drama_. Enjoy! **

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_"Certain voices hold this odd pull on our heartstrings. They are like sad oboes or something, something that makes you want to throw all your money at the radio while yelling, "I love you." I don't know what it is."_

\- Johnathan Goldstein

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Chapter 13: Spicy!

Tamotsu stared in horror at the monstrous fox up ahead. It had to be genjutsu it _just had to be._ Because if it wasn't Tamotsu didn't think he could handle reality anymore.

"Kai." He whispered exuding a small burst of chakra, but the image remained.

The Nine tails had been freed.

Tamotsu bit his lip.

" _Kushina…no…"_ He moaned internally. This could only mean one thing- his precious baby cousin was… _dead._

 _deaddeaddeaddeadDEADDEADDEAD_

"NO!" Tamotsu shut his eyes tightly. He refused to believe that! Not until he found her, not until he had proof, not until he held her in her arms again! She was all she had left. The shinobi felt something moist building up behind his eyes as his chakra fluctuated with grief. Kushina was all he had left of his home. Who knew if there was anybody that had survived the massacre. From what he'd seen it didn't look like many had made it out. Tears slid down his cheeks as the faces and broken bodies came up to the forefront of his mind. So many innocent lives lost. Just like he'd lost his parents, his jounin sensei, his teammates, his grandmother, Kus-

No. Tamotsu drew in a shaky breath, trying to ignore the beast raging up ahead on the outskirts of Konoha. No, Kushina was not _lost._ Not until he found her- alive or...dead.

Tamotsu was abruptly startled out his thoughts as the ground trembled and his ears rang painfully. The Nine-Tail's snout closed shut with a snarl on it's muzzle.

The gruff, distinctly baritone voice from earlier whistled, _"Daaaamn. Well, it was nice knowing you, gaki. Good luck."_ It said flippantly. Tamotsu ignored it in favor of more, ahem, _pressing_ matters. He could worry about his mental health later, after he found Kushina.

This could not be happening, yet there was the living proof right in front of him summed up into one massive ball of conscious chakra. But it didn't make any sense. Kushina had been brought specifically to the village to become its container. There was no way the beast could have escaped without the seal weakening (which was impossible because Mito-obaasan was a genius) or…Kushina…dying…

A strangled whimper escaped his throat. No, she couldn't be dead too, right? There was no way the feisty redhead had perished. Kushina was a precocious child, exhibiting the Uzumaki's notorious stubbornness at a young age. There was no way she could have died while he had been… incapacitated. No, he would not accept it. She _had_ to be alive.

Tamotsu shook his head and looked down at himself, catching something moving on his torso. Probably a stowaway worm that he'd picked up in that doton jutsu Baa-chan had cast on him. Tamotsu shook his head and continued on even though his body was screaming for him to stop and rest.

Feeling uncomfortable with the knowledge that something could be crawling freely in his clothes he pulled the kimono open to remove the insect and gasped.

What he saw was no measly bug.

The redhead stumbled and came to a sudden stop as he stared down at himself in shock.

He was absolutely filthy and in need of a good bath. Or two. A bath would sound absolutely lovely right now.

Anyways…

 _"Sweet, gracious Kami-sama. What did you do to me Baa-chan?"_

His _loving_ grandmother had completely torn up his battle kimono so he had been basically traveling through all of Fire Country in his underwear. But that's not what stole his attention away from the Tailed Beast wreaking havoc. No. The glowing seals all over his body were what stopped him in his tracks. What had his Baa-chan done to him? The seal calmly writhed and pulsed in sync with his heartbeat.

 _"Huh. I see you've found me. About time too. I was beginning to think you were stupid. Or blind. Maybe both."_

Tamotsu sputtered, " W-What?! You mean to tell me that you're t-trapped inside the s-seal?!" He was _so_ going to give his grandmother a good scolding when he met up with her in the Pure Land.

The unknown voice laughed. Tamotsu blinked dumbly.

 _"You're funny, ya know? Oh I just know I'm gonna have a ton of fun with you."_ Tamotsu could feel the entity's amusement as it continued, _"But no. I'm not trapped in the seal. I'm so much fucking more."_ Tamotsu felt a heavy sense of dread drop down on his shoulders, causing his legs to tremble slightly. He could literally feel the thing smiling wolfishly at him. _"_ ** _I am the seal_** _."_

Tamotsu choked on his spit and went into a coughing fit. How could that be possible? Seals didn't have minds nor were they capable of speech. Sure, they were alive in a sense, but not like _this._ The poor redhead was terribly confused and the seal just cackled at its host's misfortune.

The whirlpool ninja shook his head and set his eyes forwards. Okay, he could freak out, study the seal further, and curse his _oh so wonderful_ grandmother _l_ _ater_.

Tamotsu's eyes narrowed and did his best to ignore the powerful chakra marring the air. He was positive that wherever the Tailed Beast was it was where he would find Kushina.

The Kyuubi snarled and fixed its slitted eyes on something on the floor.

Kushina's grinning face flashed by his eyes. Tamotsu's mouth set into a grim line and with speed he hadn't known he was capable of, he headed right for the Kyuubi no Kitsune.

"Don't w-worry, Kushina-kun." He said to himself, determination glittering in his blue eyes. "I _won't_ break my p-promise, 'ttebaru!"

The nine-tailed fox snapped its jaws, teeth the size of a small house glinting in the moonlight. Tamotsu's chakra wavered nervously but he didn't hesitate. Besides, it was about time the famed Zombie Kunoichi was finally put in his grave once and for all, ne?

 _ **(Awkward Page Break)**_

Kushina couldn't even muster the strength to move her pinky finger much less her whole freaking body from the boulder as the orange-masked ninja ordered the chakra beast to kill her. Her restraints laid in a broken heap on the ground. Tears leaked down her face as she realized that no one was coming. Not Minato, Mikoto, old man Hokage, or anybody. Nobody. She was all alone. Again.

Damn it! She hated this sick, horrid feeling.

 _"Shodai's balls!"_ She cursed mentally. How she _loathed_ being a damsel in distress. But here she was. A damsel. In distress. Major distress if the Kyuubi's paw coming down to squash her was any indication. She would die a pitiful death at the hands of the very beast she had spent her life jailing. Now it was free, raining destruction and chaos to the place she now called home. How many more homes would she lose?

Suddenly the man who had kidnapped her stiffened. Kushina, through the pain and exhaustion, barely managed to sense someone approaching, their chakra spiking with emotion. The giant fox paused to growl at the new arrival beyond her line of sight.

Kushina's eyes widened and a shaky breath of relief was exhaled.

Minato! Her husband had come for her after all. Took the sissy long enough!

The voice that spoke, however, was _not_ Minato's. No, it was painstakingly familiar in its meekness, but for the life of her she couldn't remember who it reminded her of. But by the nostalgia and anguish it caused her she could only match it up to the voice of a ghost. Maybe just another one of her hallucinations.

"E-Excuse me! What do you two think you're doing to that poor woman?" Kushina couldn't believe that some lady actually had the balls to scold a freaking SS-class nin and the strongest of all the nine Bijuu, the Kyuubi no Kitsune itself. "Stop that r-right now, Mister!"

If she wasn't in so much pain she would have laughed.

The masked nin spoke in a low, monotone, "Foolish child. You will die for your insolence along with the Uzumaki woman." His crimson eye stared apathetically through the single eyehole. "Your death will make no difference to my plans." The orange fox shot out its clawed hand, fully intending to follow out its orders and kill the two redheads below.

Tamotsu disregarded the threat and instead looked down at the crumpled woman laying on the large rock.

"Uzumaki woman?" He whispered to himself in confusion.

 _"Meh, beats me, brat."_ The seal answered. The ninja flinched slightly at the voice, not quite used to its presence yet.

His misty blue eyes absorbed every detail of the downed woman. In those few precious seconds, he felt something indescribable begin to build within him.

No, it couldn't be possible. Kushina had been just a little girl. Barely eight years old. There was no way so many years could have passed. That the little girl he had loved and watched over was now a grown woman.

But it was undeniable. His blue eyes studied her face once more, committing it to memory and comparing it to the stored image of his baby cousin's. She had the same round facial structure that made her look so much like his aunt, same shade of brilliant red hair that screamed, 'Look at me, 'ttebane!', and her eyes were the same shade of violet as the deceased clan head. While Kushina had been short and pudgy. The woman before him was taller with the defined curves of a woman and not the little girl he knew. Then his eyes landed on a single black hair clip parting her bangs. The part of the seal located above his heart flickered as he felt his chest constrict with emotion.

 _"Tamotsu?"_ The voice questioned uncertainly. _"Is that your 'Kushina-kun'?"_ It's reply was an eery silence.

Tamotsu's eye twitched. The mental dam that he'd built since his childhood cracked as something _angrysadrelievedhorrifiedfurious_ slammed into it. His eyes met the woman's own, violet-grey ones. That was it. _Those eyes. Her_ eyes was what broke any sense of his former composure. A rare, intense emotion poured out in waves and all he could see was _red_ as his chakra fluctuated wildly.

They had _dared_ hurt **_his_** baby cousin!? His little Kushina-kun!?

 _"Well,"_ the seal drawled out almost lazily, _"Looks like my cute host has a bit of temper. Huh. Who would have thought?"_

Tamotsu glared. Damn right he did!

The unknown shinobi suddenly jumped back as golden chakra chains flew out of the new arrival. The killing intent seeping from Tamotsu crashed forward in turbulent waves that almost rivaled the Kyuubi's. A fierce expression quickly overtook the once worried, soft face of the redhead. A majority of the chains wrapped themselves around the fox's forearms, stopping the attack and another wave went straight for the hooded figure. Obito activated his Kamui and allowed for the golden spear tips to sail through him harmlessly as he half-entered his dimension. Obito frowned and teleported to a different spot when he fell something tugging on his chakra.

 _"Motherfucker! Fucking pink-eye jutsu whore!"_ The voice cursed loudly. No one escaped his clutches. It, no, _they_ needed chakra right _now_. Even if it was vile, tainted with grief and madness that could only belong to an Uchiha. _"GET BACK HERE YOU FUCKING KLEPTOMANIAC SON OF A BITCH AND GIVE ME YOUR CHAKRA!"_

Thankfully Tamotsu was too preoccupied in his own righteous fury to pay the entity any mind or he would have definitely fainted right then and there. On the battlefield. At the Kyuubi's feet.

Yeah. Totally not a good idea.

 _"Fine,"_ The voice huffed angrily and straightened up suddenly even though it had no body of its own. _"Hmm,"_ it smirked, _"I wonder what Bijuu chakra tastes like?"_ It shrugged. _"Guess there's a first for everything."_

The seals on Tamotsu body lit up once again and the ink could be visibly seen on the sealing chains as they drank up the Kyuubi's chakra. The fox snarled ferociously and struggled to free himself from _those_ cursed chains. Even in it's brainwashed state it knew to avoid the damned sealing chains at every cost.

Obito's mangekyō sharingan watched silently as the tailed beast's chakra entered the seal before it was distributed throughout the redhead's body.

" _SHIT! THAT'S FUCKING SPICY! WATER! I need water!"_ The seal hollered madly.

Tamotsu cringed as the foreign chakra entered his chakra coils. It burned! His insides felt hot and his mind was beginning to feel heavy as the tailed beast's chakra spread throughout his body.

Then the feeling hit him like a freight train, taking him completely by surprise. An overwhelming tidal wave of hate and malice fought to take control of him, taking advantage of Tamotsu's previous anger.

The Uzumaki shook his head and focused on Kushina's limp form. " _What is this?"_ He thought to himself. Did he just absorb the Kyuubi's chakra? He felt like vomiting.

So much **hate**. It was suffocating.

Baa-chan had warned him about this. If he lost his head again Kushina would surely die and probably the whole village. He couldn't let a repeat of what happened to Uzushiogakure happen here too. Not if he could help it. Konoha may be his home but they were allies. He had family here- Tsunade-kun, Nawaki-chan, the whole Senju clan- this was his precious people's home.

" _I…have to…c-control this…anger…before it…controls me!"_

 _"Fuck my duck. Sorry 'bout that, gaki."_ The seal said sheepishly, inching back into the mindscape to avoid the new, malicious presence taking shape. _"I'll uh be back here if you need me."_

Tamotsu concentrated on the desire to protect his precious cousin and ignored the guttural voice telling him to slaughter, to kill, to maim, to torture, to destroy and just **_give in to me._**

The fury would help him but not if he let it run rampant. He had to keep his head clear. He was about to fight the freaking Nine-Tailed fox and a sharingan wielder for crying out loud!

Kami help him.

An inhuman scream tore through the man and he glared at the shinobi who had hurt Kushina. He crouched down low, sporting a nasty snarl in place of his usually placid smile. The tailed beast's chakra had caused his canines to grow dangerously long and his nails looked like they could cut through steel. Tamotsu growled lowly, four dark marks forming on his cheeks as the fox's chakra seared into his skin, flakes of burnt skin floating to the ground.

"How **_dare_** you do this to my little Kushina-kun!" Tamotsu roared, moving to stand over his fallen family member protectively. His muscles were taunt and his senses were entirely focused on the man before him. He'd rip the man to shreds if he so much as _sneezed_. Because they were in Konoha after all. Lot's of pollen around these parts. Yup.

Obito frowned. Who was this man? From what he knew, Kushina had no knowledge of any immediate surviving relatives from her clan after its destruction a decade or more ago. Yet, this woman, actually maybe it was a man, had the same shade of hair and possessed the Adamantine Sealing Chains that he knew belonged specifically to the Uzumaki clan. And he knew of no other clans or villages that possessed the infamous jutsu since it was rumored to exist only in the main branch of the Uzumaki clan. No matter. He'd kill them both himself if he had to.

Obito was broken from his train of thought when a sudden flash of yellow appeared and scooped Kushina up. Tamotsu seeing his cousin taken by a strange man, released the chains and quickly grabbed the stranger's arm just as the two teleported away.


	14. Promises Kept

**A/N: And now we're getting into the Kyuubi Attack Arc! *sobs quietly***

 **Anywho, now we're learning a little bit about Tamotsu's seal or Seal-san because everybody needs a name, right? Oh yeah, I lied. The last chapter and this chapter were supposed to be one chapter but it** _ **waaaaaay**_ **too long so I split them up. Sorry! But from now on I'm going to try and keep 'em at least 3k words long because anything less kills me as a writer. So yay!**

 **WARNING: Lots of cursing courtesy of the seal. Basically this fic is rated T for seal-san ._.**

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"In a world where vows are making a pledge means nothing. Where promises are made to be broken, it would be nice to see words come back into power."

\- Chuck Palahnuik

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Chapter 14: Promises Kept

Minato cursed quietly as he led their, ahem, _guest_ into the safe house. He couldn't afford to make such rookie mistakes, yet he'd gone and done it like some newly promoted genin. The second his feet were on solid ground, the blonde Hokage threw off Tamotsu's hold and shoved the redhead against the wall. With his other arm, he held Kushina's weakened form to his chest protectively.

"Who are you?" His cold, calculating tone held no room for anything but the truth. Tamotsu, however, was in no state of mind to speak due to the space-time jutsu's effect. The Uzumaki's eyes were unfocused and his stomach felt like it'd been spun in Uzu's infamous whirlpools. "I asked you a question," Minato said threateningly and applied a bit of force to the man's windpipe with his forearm. He studied the unknown ninja in front of him who still looked a little green. He was actually a little impressed. The first time he'd used his Hirashin his body had dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes and proceeded to lose his lunch. Jiraiya never really let him forget that. Tamotsu's hand reached and his sharpened nails dug into Minato's arm.

"Who _are_ you? What are your intentions towards Ksuhina and Konoha?" Minato asked again a bit more calmly. He relented his hold enough for the man (he wouldn't be fooled by the shinobi's feminine looks) to speak. The Yondaime took note of the light layer of the Kyuubi's chakra that was slowly eating away at his sleeve and filed it away for future use.

Tamotsu coughed and breathed in sharply through his nose. His brows scrunched up in confusion as his heightened sense of smell picked up Kushina's scent on the stranger. The smell of ink, ramen, and something utterly tomboyish could only belong to Kushina. He took another sniff and his eyes narrowed suspiciously. Minato tensed and looked for any sign of an attack. He couldn't risk his family's safety. Especially in Kushina's condition. It only thanks to her lineage she had even survived the extraction and that's not even counting the fact she only just gave birth. Minato could feel his wife's clammy body leaning on him for support but at least she was on her feet.

Tamotsu took another sniff of his attacker. Why was his Kushina-kun's scent was _all over_ this man? His slitted pupils, just one of the many effects of soaking up the Nine-Tail's chakra, moved to the man's other arm and how it was protectively, and with a surprising amount of tenderness, wrapped around his cousin. Kushina was weakly resting in man's embrace with visible trust like she'd known him her whole life, displaying an incredible amount of faith in the blonde.

 _"Oh,"_ Tamotsu thought in realization, _"so this is Kushina's…mate, er, boyfriend?"_ He had no idea how to deal with information nor everything else he had stumbled in on. The red-haired shinobi allowed himself to relax slightly. Not completely as he was still in the blonde shinobi's hold. All this adrenaline was doing nothing to settle his nerves, but at least it had kept him upright this whole time. Without the recharge he'd gotten from the fox's chakra he'd surely be a heap of sobbing jello on the floor right now. He would never forgive himself if he had a panic attack in front of Kushina. He was supposed to be the girl's awesome, ass kicking, fuuinjutsu-wielding hero. Not the anxiety-ridden mess of a failure he knew deep down that he was.

His eyes darted back and forth between the couple before settling back on the blue-eyed man who simply tightened his hold down on his neck, a sudden three-pronged kunai glinting dangerously in his hand.

Tamotsu chuckled nervously. He had to defuse the tension and suspicion before he was choked to death. "I-I apologize for m-my rudeness. T-Tamotsu. Uzumaki Tamotsu." Minato blinked in confusion. Uzumaki? That was rather odd. The Yondaime chanced a look at his wife vibrant hair and at the ninja's. Maybe he was a distant relative of the same clan? Minato frowned slightly. Tamotsu. He knew that name, but from where?

"I-I apologize, um, m-my name is Tamotsu. Uzumaki Tamotsu. I-I hold no ill will t-towards Konoha or Kuhshina-kun." Minato blinked in confusion. Uzumaki? That was rather odd. So was the way he referred to Kushina. Did he know her? And if so, how? The Yondaime chanced a look at his wife's vibrant hair and at the ninja's. Maybe he was a distant relative of the clan? Minato frowned slightly as his mind niggled at him. _Tamotsu_. He knew that name, but from where?

"N-Nice to meet y-you." The timid man stuttered, praying the blonde was as smart as he appeared and would put the pieces together that he was not a threat and let him go before he peed his pants because Minato was reallysuperduper scary.

 _"You're scared of piss-head there? Pfft, if I had a body I'd take his sissy ass down in just one ink stroke."_ The seal boasted haughtily. This only served to make Tamotsu more nervous. Never underestimate someone who only _looks_ weak. He knew that from firsthand experience.

The redhead looked back at Kushina, oblivious to her intense stare, and then at Minato. He tried smiling to break the uncomfortable tension the two men. The warm smile on the petite man's face took Minato by surprise. Who would willingly smile in the face of their captor? He loosened his grip. Slightly. His wife and newborn child were still completely defenseless and he wouldn't take any more chances tonight.

A voice laced with disbelief and _hope_ broke through the throng of silence.

"Nee-chan?" Both men turned to look at Kushina whose eyes were quickly brimming with tears as she took in the rough, dirty appearance of her older cousin. It couldn't be him. It was impossible. But there he stood, under her husband's intense scrutiny and looking like he'd been dragged all over Hi no Kuni. His appearance was different, with the Kyuubi's malevolent chakra flickering around him and the extra features given to him by the tailed beast, but he was still the same awkward man she remembered from her childhood.

Tamotsu's smile shrunk sheepishly and he waved, appearing unperturbed that the Yondaime Hokage could kill him with the flick of his wrist.

"I'm sorry I'm l-late, Kushina-kun, but I _did_ p-promise you I w-would return. And I never break my promises." He closed his eyes and put his closed fist over his heart. "Uzumaki honor, 'ttebaru!"

Kushina weakly pushed her husband away, whom protested in vain, and cupped Tamotsu's cheeks. She softly rubbed the whisker-like markings with her thumbs where the tailed beast's chakra had scarred him. The skin was raw and Tamotsu winced. The red chakra lightly coating him had no effect on the woman as she had grown immune to the potent chakra. The older Uzumaki's expression softened and he sighed quietly- he'd found her. She was okay. _She was okay._ That sentence echoed in his mind as the room was finally quiet.

Suddenly her tearful expression morphed into one of fury.

"I thought you died, baka! You stupid, irresponsible pervert, 'ttebane!" She yelled and bopped him on the head with her fist. Tamotsu cried out in pain and rubbed his head.

"K-Kushina-kun! I'm so sorry-" he was silenced as the woman pulled him close to her chest. Minato smiled softly and allowed the tension to leak from his stance. If Kushina trusted this person then he would give the stranger the benefit of the doubt. For now. He would leave the questions to the Leaf's Red Hot-Blooded Habanero.

Kushina sighed and allowed her body to melt against her cousin, _her family_. Tamotsu held her tighter and marveled at the fact that he was _alive._ That Kushina was _alive_. Even if it was just the two of them, the Uzumaki clan would live on _._ His comrade's lives were not sacrificed in vain if at least _one_ of them had managed to survive.

Kushina's legs gave out and with a cry of alarm, Tamotsu caught her clumsily. He immediately began crying and tripping over his words in worry, his stuttering making everything he said undistinguishable.

A tic mark popped up on the woman's forehead. "I'm fine, nee-chan. Stop crying already I'm not a baby!" Despite her words she continued to depend on her cousin's tight hold to keep her upright.

Minato regretfully pried the woman away and laid her on a bed next to a small bundle who had just begun to stir in all the commotion. Tamotsu stared in shock at the blonde baby, his tears stopping abruptly. His head whipped back and forth between the two ninjas. A baby! Seeing how Kushina curled around the child with such affection, the only logical conclusion was that the little red-cheeked blonde was hers. Tamotsu grinned and hope blossomed in his chest. There were three of them now! Who's to say there weren't more of his beloved clan out there?

He suddenly squealed and hugged Minato. Kushina smirked at her husband's confounded expression as he flailed helplessly in the other man's embrace. Tamotsu could be really bubbly and energetic once he opened up.

"Kushina-kun! Is this your lover? Oh, how c-cute, 'ttebaru! The baby looks just like him," he cooed. Minato sweatdropped as the man boisterously grinned up at him. Yeah, he was definitely Kushina's cousin. No doubt about it.

"His name is Naruto," Kushina said softly. Tamotsu blinked.

The seal's sudden voice broke through his head, _"Naruto? Like the fishcake? Really? I swear you're all a bunch of ramen junkies."_

 _"P-Perhaps she meant it's other definition: maelstrom?"_ Tamotsu replied back. He rather liked that one as it paid homage to their beloved Uzushiogakure. But ramen was good too. Kami knows there had been countless of them named after the delicious dish.

Kushina chuckled weakly at her cousin's incredulous stare. She watched as their child looked up at the scene with curious blue eyes. Her eyes zeroed in on the three whisker marks marring her baby's face and then up at her cousin where the same marks were singed into his cheeks, the flesh red and dark around the edges. She frowned in thought.

Minato looked down at his small family, memorizing every last detail, and then turned to face Tamotsu.

His face was solemn as he spoke, "Please protect my family, Tamotsu-san. I leave them in your hands." He bowed lowly, much too low for Kage, and went over to some drawers. It pained Minato to just up and leave but he knew that his family was in safe hands. He had looked _underneath the underneath_ and saw the strength and pure determination to protect Kushina in Tamotsu's heart. Sure, the man looked fragile but he knew that Tamotsu had the heart of a true shinobi. Kushina and Naruto would be safe. Minato threw on the white coat Kushina had made for him. His family would be safe.

"The village needs me." He said determinedly and activated his Hiraishin. Tamotsu blinked as his cousin's lover flashed away.

Naruto managed to free his arms from the blanket and reached out for the red haired man. Tamotsu obliged the silent request and wiggled his index finger, the sharpened nails on his fingers receding back along with the enhanced canines, and slitted pupils. Naruto gripped the finger and gurgled happily. Tamotsu hummed quietly, trying to distract himself and comfort Kushina who looked like she was going to pass out any second now.

Tamotsu looked down at the newest addition to the Uzumaki clan with fondness. Naruto was a such a small, little thing. The shinobi was reminded when he had first met Kushina. She had been small then too. Just a newborn whom he had loved from the moment he'd held her in his arms. How could he not love her? Sure, she had barfed on him and the matriarch of the clan had laughed endlessly at his misfortune, but that did nothing to deter the fierce protectiveness he'd felt when he'd held her tiny life in his hands.

Tamotsu gently shook his finger. Naruto held on fast with a look of concentration spreading on his cherub face.

"He's strong just like you, Kushina-kun." He looked to his cousin. "Will your boyfriend be alright?" His expression morphed into concern.

Kushina rolled her eyes, "I think you mean _husband_ , nee-chan. Minato is my husband. I didn't have a child out of wedlock, ya know." At his incredulous stare the kunoichi chuckled lightly. "I'm a married woman now. And my _boyfriend_ is the Yondaime Hokage." She winked up at him and snuggled into Naruto's side. The baby smiled and let go of Tamotsu in favor of his mother's bright hair.

Tamotsu's eyes bugged out as he squeaked, "I missed your w-wedding!? Wait, did you say your h-husband is the H-Hokage? What h-happened to Hiruzen-sama?"

Kushina tiredly took his free hand and feebly held on with what little strength she possessed. She was so tired. Kushina ignored his previous questions in favor of a more pressing one of her own.

Her voice was small, "Where have you been?" She vividly recalled the memorial service. Konoha's forces had come too late and Uzushiogakure laid in ruins, her people slaughtered and the village up in flames. She remembered staring up at the large, spiral-shaped slab of stone, located in the Senju compound, that was permanently engraved with the names of those who had fallen during the invasion. Their names etched into the red stone to be forever remembered for their bravery and sacrifice. And for her to grieve for years to come.

Kushina licked her lips. There had been so many names. Too many. But not Tamotsu's. She never found the man's name carved anywhere on the clan's memorial stone. When she asked they'd told her that they had only added the names of the bodies they could identify which meant that Tamotsu's body had never been recovered or that it was beyond recognition. Kushina had hoped that maybe her cousin hadn't died, that he would come back for her one day. It seemed like such a childish dream back then. But now…Tamotsu had somehow miraculously survived and not only that but he'd kept his promise and defended her from the freaking _Nine-Tails_! He really knew how to make an entrance.

Tamotsu's eyes darkened in a way Kushina had never seen. The usually soft blue of his eyes turned stormy and dark.

"Baa-chan sacrificed her life to put an f-forbidden seal on me and then buried me with a doton jutsu so the enemy would not find me." His soft voice was sorrowful yet steady despite the occasional stutter as he spoke. "I don't how long I was buried but all I remember is hearing you _s-scream._ " He squeezed her hand tightly and looked down at her with such fear and panic in his eyes it made her heart stop for one agonizing moment. Tamotsu chose to omit the part about the seal having been the one to prod him awake. Tamotsu didn't want to freak out because _howwasthisevenpossible?_

 _"Oh, yeah. Keep me as your dirty little secret, Tamotsu-_ ** _sama_** _."_ The seal purred teasingly. Tamotsu fought off the rising blush and continued his story.

"I-I was so s-s-scared. It felt like I'd been sleeping forever and I thought I'd never w-wake up again. So when I did wake up it was to find that everything was g-gone, our friends, family, home. _Everything_. Dead. Destroyed. Just everything was gone." Kushina's brow wrinkled as a haunted look passed over his face. It made sense even if she didn't want to think about. He had been there, after all, as the ninjas from the great hidden villages laid siege over Uzu and the horrors he had witnessed would remain ingrained in his mind forever: watching Uzu going up in flames, all his comrades butchered as they were overwhelmed, the dead faces of civilian, ninja, and children alike. He must be hurting just as much, if not more, as she did when she first heard of the destruction and the aftermath of the invasion. But she had years to cope and find new precious people to love, but from what Tamotsu had told her he'd never had the chance she did as the seal the elder had placed on him put him in a type of dormant state; for him the invasion had only just happened yesterday- the horrid memories still fresh in his mind.

Kushina softly squeezed his hand and summoned her newly acquired Mommy no Jutsu.

"Not everyone is gone. I heard rumors that some were able to escape. The genin were able to evacuate some of the civilians and even our clan members before the invasion got messy. And besides," She looked over at Naruto who couldn't decide whether between sleeping or playing with his mother's hair, "you have me and Naruto-chan now."

Tamotsu was silent before a small smile overtook his once somber expression, making the whisker marks on his cheeks go up. Kushina's grey eyes narrowed. Naruto had the same marks but that could be explained as a side effect of her status as a jinchuuriki; some of the Kyuubi's chakra would eventually have contact with her child. But that explanation didn't work for the older man unless he had been completely immersed in the beast's vile chakra.

"Tamotsu-nee. Just what kind of fuuinjutsu did that crazy old bat use on you?" She asked curiously. It had to be the seal. She remembered seeing it do _something,_ but she had been

The feminine redhead scrunched up his face cutely as he thought.

 _"Excuse me, seal-san."_ Tamotsu asked. _"Um, w-what exactly are you?"_

The voice grumbled _, "Fucking awesome, that's what I am."_ Tamotsu tried again, but any further prodding was pointedly ignored. Looks like he wasn't going to get a straight answer from it. Tamotsu pouted, the action looking quite childish. Kushina almost chuckled at the sight but the seriousness of his new condition allowed no humor.

"I think, from the design, it's some type of chakra draining seal mixed in with some _o-other_ chakra theories." His face smoothed out and took on a grave expression as he spoke next, "Some _forbidden_ chakra theories." He summoned a bit of chakra and saw as Kushina's expression morphed into one of awe as the complex fuuinjutsu moved around his body in a clockwise motion. The moving mass of symbols and ink resembled a whirlpool as the seal eventually encircled one point on his body- the spot right over his heart.

"I…I've never seen anything like it! It's incredible…" Kushina said in awe.

 _"I like this chick already, Tamotsu-gaki. She knows true art when she sees it. Don't let her die."_

Tamotsu silently vowed not to.

Kushina hummed in thought before tiredly slumping down on the bed.

"It does have the fundamentals for a chakra absorbent seal, but that's only a part of it. I also see some major stabilizer seals in there and the foundations for preservation seals used in conjunction with Uzu's mask ceremonies. But the rest is gibberish and that's coming from a seal master." She looked up at her nee-chan and then at Naruto. "You look kinda like Naruto's big sister." She murmured absently.

Tamotsu sputtered, "I-I'm not a g-g-girl, 'ttebaru!" He exclaimed. "I-I thought we went o-over this already!" Kushina rolled her eyes.

"I know that. I saw you naked remember, _Tomato-chan~_?" She teased. Tamotsu tried to calm his rising blush but to no avail. Why did she have to go and say it like _that_? Ugh, his family was insufferable.

Kushina continued, her face growing grim, "If that fuuinjutsu does what we think it does then I guess it explains the whiskers."

Whiskers? Tamotsu frowned and touched his cheeks, looking at Naruto who was sleepily gazing around. The marks were still tender and he winced as his fingers slid over them.

"Oh." He said finally in realization. So that's what happened. It would certainly explain the sudden influx of strength and rage he'd felt if the seal was sucking in the tailed beast's chakra.

The seal defended itself grumpily, _"What? I was hungry! We were running on literally nothing."_

Tamotsu mentally shot the being an annoyed look.

"I suppose I would look like Naruto-chan's _sibling_ then." He gave the new mother a rather pointed look. Kushina laughed and pulled her child closer to her chest lovingly.

Tamotsu's thoughts wandered from the Kyuubi's chakra to the actual beast itself.

"What will happen to Kyuubi-sama?" Tamotsu asked, ever so polite in his speech. Kushina rolled her eyes as Tamotsu watched the mother and son.

Kushina was too weak to handle summoning the Adamantine sealing chains in this state and they were running out of time. The whole village was gonna be flatter than a pancake if nothing was done. Tamotsu didn't trust his cousin to handle having the beast sealed into her again. She looked like she'd keel over and die if she so much as coughed.

Tamotsu was silent as he watched the two Uzumakis. He knew how this was going to end. The Uzumaki clan had carried the burden as the Kyuubi's jinchuuriki since Mito-obaasan first used the clan's fuuinjutsu to seal the fox within her. It was only natural that those from his clan be chosen as her successor because of the two village's close ties and their unique bloodline. Their chakra made them the best jinchuurikis in all the elemental nations.

And there were only three known Uzumakis left since the others, according to Kushina, were scattered throughout the Elemental Nations.

Kushina was lucky to have even _survived_ the extraction. Both he and his cousin would die from the strain of the Nine tail's chakra if it were to be sealed within them so there was no point in doing it. Who knew how long it would take for the beast to reform if it 'died' alongside them. It could be years, months, days, or even minutes. No, they needed a concrete solution and fast. Plus, he was not about to make a widow out of the newest addition to his clan nor make Naruto-chan suffer through a motherless childhood.

They needed a new vessel. Someone young with still-developing chakra coils and of Uzumaki descent.

Kushina and Tamotsu both looked down at Naruto and then at each other.

"Over my _dead body_ , 'ttebane!" Kushina's fierce expression morphed into one of grief, her anger dissipating. "How…how could I, his own mother, force him bare such a burden? It's _my_ responsibility. Mito-obaachan entrusted me to keep that damned foxlocked away! I'm not going to just shove this curse on my _son_ , 'ttebane!" Her hold on Naruto grew tighter and the child squirmed in his blanket uncomfortably.

Tamotsu was silent as his own guilt devoured him. Not only had he condemned his cousin to a life of misery but he dared suggest the same fate for her offspring, an innocent newborn? He wasn't even a day old! Not only had he offended Kushina, but by doing so he had offended his clan head as Kushina was the closest in line to taking up the mantle. She was the Uzumaki clan's ex-heiress, losing the title when she'd been chosen to become the fox's jinchuuriki and moved to Konoha.

Tamotsu fisted his hands and bowed his head, "Forgive me, Kushina-sama. It was not my place to inquire of such things." Tears fell down his face, mixing in with a decade's worth of grime and blood. " _Forgive me._ "

Kushina's brows furrowed as she sensed some deeper meaning in her kin's words.

"What for? And don't you dare start with that '-sama' crap!"

Tamotsu sniffed loudly and kept his head down as he spoke, "I-It's my f-f-fault you were made a j-jinchuuriki. I-If I hadn't been so _weak,_ " he spat the word and Kushina winced at the amount of self-loathing her cousin held for himself, "it would have been me and not you." He looked up at her and Kushina was surprised at the amount of guilt and hate, not directed at her but at himself, that she saw behind all the tears. "I was t-the one who h-h-handed you over. Even when, when you were just a l-little b-baby, I p-promised to protect you! And look how I've _failed_ you." Tamotsu fisted his hands and struggled to control his breathing. He was starting to hyperventilate.

He'd failed Kushina in every way possible. He'd _abandoned_ her. What kind of Uzumaki was he to leave his family behind in some foreign village with a Bijuu sealed inside her? He was her cousin, her family and where had he been? Six feet under and sleeping. It was all his fault that his precious Kushina-kun was in this mess. All. His. Fault.

The sudden pain of a hand slapping his face brought him out of his thoughts and he squeaked as to how much the hit stung. He looked up at Kushina's angry face and felt the guilt dig deeper into his heart. Now she hated him. She hated-

"YOU BAKA!" The furious woman shouted, startling both boys in the room. Two sets of blue eyes stared in surprise at the mother's violent outburst. Not that it was uncommon, but still.

"Yes, I felt betrayed and horrible when I was told I had been brought here to become the Nine-Tail's vessel. Kaa-chan and Tou-chan both lied to me. Yes, you brought me here, but if I had stayed in the village I would have died too, so in a way you _saved_ me, nee-chan. You never once lied to me and you never ever failed me." Kushina wiped the tears from her eyes. "You kept your promise and came back. That's all that matters to me." She grinned up at him where he stood over the bed. "So stop apologizing, baka. There's nothing for me forgive so quit pestering me with your excuses."

Tamotsu sobbed quietly and placed the back of his hand on her cheek. Kushina sighed tiredly and closed her eyes. Naruto yawned and relaxed into his blanket cocoon. All was quiet until the whole safe house began to shake and a monstrous roar made Naruto cry.

"Kyuubi-sama." Tamotsu muttered, looking up at the pieces of plaster falling from the ceiling. He deftly pulled a rusty kunai from his weapon pouch and pinned a large piece of plaster to the wall that would have crushed Naruto's head.

Kushina weakly hushed Naruto and she took this moment to really look at her son. Tamotsu was right. He really did look like Minato. She hoped, for his sake, that he also took after his father's personality. One obnoxious Uzumaki was enough but two?

Kami, help the village.

More tears welled in her eyes. She didn't think she'd cried this much since Uzu's destruction. Her son. Her little baby. Her Naruto. Finally, after months of hormonal rampages, cravings, and hardships she was face-to-face with her son. Theyd finally met. Dread filled her as the room quaked again. The two ninjas tensed, sensing the Kyuubi's malevolent chakra nearby.

Kushina held the blonde infant tighter. She thanked Minato for giving her such a beautiful child. Their child.

She just wished she had more time with him.


	15. Shiki Fūjin

**A/N: Okay, I originally created this fanfic as a belated birthday present to my best friend. His birthday is tomorrow so...**

 **HAPPY _EARLY_ BIRTHDAY, BRO! Can't believe you're still with me ;u;**

 **So without further ado here is the next installment of *insert dramatic voice* Uzumaki's Zombie Kunoichi!**

 **Disclaimer: Alot of this chapter was derived from the series so I own none of that.**

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 _"When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching - they are your family. "_

\- Jim Butcher

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Chapter 15: Shiki Fūjin

Minato suddenly appeared, looking grim and a little worse for wear. He grabbed Kushina whom still held Naruto. Tamotsu was quick to grab hold of him before they flashed away in a blur of reds and yellows.

Minato panted as he leaned over his wife and baby, "Are... you okay?" He asked, struggling to recover his breath. They could both see the blatant chakra exhaustion the young Hokage was suffering from. He wouldn't last long against the Nine-Tails if they went head-to-head again. Fear began to seep into Tamotsu. What were they going to do?

Kushina, on the other hand, felt like crying all over again in relief. Her husband was safe. The one who'd saved her from her loneliness, the darkness, and the pain; he was a little roughed up but okay.

"Minato," She said breathlessly, taking in his face and committing it to memory. Something deep within her told her that this would be the last she saw of her love.

Tamotsu blearily blinked and looked up into the night sky where he was met with a terrible sight. The orange fox was prowling over the forest. He looked like he was searching for something, his shoulders hunched and head low like an apex predator. He turned his head and looked at the trio behind him. Or for someone. The beast's nostrils flared angrily. Apparently, he was close to finding whatever he was looking for.

Minato stood and spoke, "I managed to get us this far," he winced, "but I don't have much chakra left."

Tamotsu was still watching the tailed beast hunt about when suddenly it's crimson gaze looked. Right. At. Him.

The redhead gulped and without taking his eyes away from the approaching chakra fox he warned the group awkwardly, "E-Excuse my intrusion, but I think we have a, um, problem."

 _"_ _Pfft, that 'problem' is a freaking chakra monster. Renown for razing whole countries to the ground and could skewer us all with its pinky."_

 _"_ _I k-know that, seal-san,"_ Tamotsu replied petulantly. _"I just don't want to worry Kushina-kun more than I have to."_

The voice snorted _, "Yeah, fan-fucking-tastic job you're doing there, buddy."_ Kushina looked over her husband's shoulder and her grey eyes widened in dawning horror. The Kyuubi looked away from Tamotsu and at her, his nose sniffing the air and he let a rumbling growl that shook the ground where they stood.

Kushina shoved away her growing fear and hardened her resolve. No, she would not let the beast win this time. It had caused her too much grief already. Being a jinchuuriki had bereft her of a normal life and leaving only an empty husk that had been herself. Of course, that was before she'd met and befriended Minato, eventually falling in love after he rescued her ass all those years ago. Kushina would not give the beast another chance to take away that. She met the fox's glare with one of her own. Grey, blue, and violet swirling in her eyes with determination.

"I'll stop him one way or another," Minato straightened his body despite his injuries and exhaustion, "There are things I must protect." He fisted his hands. "Precious things." His eyes roamed over Kushina, Naruto, and even Tamotsu. The fox's hand came down hard and Tamotsu stumbled awkwardly. Minato turned and Tamotsu marveled at the raw, intense emotions in the azure gaze. His cousin had chosen her partner wisely. He smiled wistfully. His uncle and aunt would have approved of Minato.

The Yondaime took a stance next to Tamotsu, "And as long as I have that I swear," The Nine-Tail's roar blew back their hair and Tamotsu had to summon chakra to his feet to keep from sliding back. Naruto squirmed in Kushina's arms, face puckering but he remained asleep.

"I'll never give up!" Minato exclaimed firmly, clapping his hands together for a jutsu. He turned to Tamotsu. "You understand this, yes, Tamotsu-san?"

Tamotsu felt honored to be able to fight at the side of such a courageous and powerful shinobi. He nodded and pulled out his tattered sealing scroll. Yes, he understood Minato perfectly.

"Wait!" Kushina cried desperately. The two shinobi turned in surprise to look at the red-haired mother. She frowned and cradled Naruto closer.

"I can still," They both turned fully towards her as she spoke, "do it!" Minato watched her turn her back to them in confusion, but Tamotsu knew just what his little cousin was doing.

 _"_ _Fucking cunt sack of a world."_ The seal cursed without any real bite. _"Why do my favorites always die?"_

"No! P-Please you can't, Kushina-kun, you just gave _b-birth_ a-and and so much other stuff!" Tamotsu shrieked desperately. But it was too late. The men watched as dozens upon dozens of golden chakra chains were unleashed from her back and dug themselves into the ground before reaching over to where the Kyuubi stood and entrapping him. The beast had no time to dodge or retaliate the onslaught before the chains were biting into his skin.

"You little worm! KUSHINA!" He bellowed and the chains tightened, bringing him down to the floor. Tamotsu had no time to marvel at the true power of Kushina's Adamantine Sealing Chains before the woman hacked out a cough and her body slumped down, barely holding onto Naruto.

"Kushina!" Both men cried and were at her side in an instant. Her breaths were labored and her body shuddered from the stress it was under. Tamotsu looked at her solemn and accepting expression. He knew what she was going to say because it was so _like_ his kin to be _that_ selfless.

 _"_ _Are we all this suicidal?"_ Tamotsu thought with a deadpan expression.

A deep voice replied, _"Yes, you lot of redheads are all fucking mental."_

"I'll take the Nine-Tails with me to my death," Kushina murmured.

 _"_ _Fucking scrotum bucket you're all a bunch of martyrs. All of you ugh!"_ The seal said in exasperation, retreating into the mindscape.

Minato looked at her in horror. "K-Kushina, y-you can't."

A wave of shame and guilt washed over Tamotsu as his cousin's words hit him. She was willing to sacrifice everything all over again to seal the beast within her except this time it would mean sacrificing her life too. Minato just watched in stunned silence as his wife struggled to finish talking.

"It has to be done, nee-chan, so that," She coughed roughly and struggled to breathe. Once she managed to regain her breath she continued, "…the interval until he emerges again," Kushina brought her head up and Tamotsu felt his heart crack. Her eyes were closed, hiding her emotions from them as she said, "…is delayed. It's all I can I do right now," she winced painfully as the Kyuubi struggled in her hold, "with my remaining chakra," Kushina gasped and Tamotsu's muscles tensed, "to help you three." She looked into Minato's and Tamotsu's eyes meaningfully with unbidden tears coming down her cheeks. "Thank you…for everything…up till now." She smiled serenely and the unadulterated acceptance of her death was too much. Minato, tears streaking his dirtied face, gritted his teeth and looked away in anguish. Tamotsu choked, feeling his heart give a painful lurch, and the seals on his body flickered in response to his emotions. The blonde Hokage composed himself weakly and grabbed hold of his love's shoulders tightly.

"Kushina," he fought to find the right words to express himself, "you're the one who made me the fourth Hokage," Tamotsu remained quiet, not wanting to intrude on their private moment again. "Who made me a man." He pulled her close, careful not to crush Naruto, and relished in the presence that was Kushina- her scent, the feel of her pressed against him, her warmth, her unbreakable strength, her _everything_. Kushina closed her eyes and returned the embrace.

Tamotsu turned his head and watched the Nine-Tailed fox who looked subdued for the moment.

There was nothing he could do. He was powerless against the tailed beast. Weak. Tamotsu squeezed his eyes shut painfully. Why couldn't he be enough? Why couldn't he have protected them all?

Minato's voice continued, "You made me this child's father." His voice shook as he struggled to speak, "Yet…I-I'm…" The Hokage closed his eyes and nestled his face in his wife's hair unable to say the truth.

Tamotsu turned to the small family of three and finished what Minato could not, "Yet we're useless." His voice was quiet, echoing in the forest.

Minato bit back a sob and nodded against his wife, "Yes, I'm useless." He said with regret and great pain lacing his voice.

Kushina sniffed, "You guys. Don't look so sad." Minato pulled back and basked in his love's affection. Kushina looked at Minato with all the love in the world radiating off her face. "I'm happy I loved you." She turned to Tamotsu and smirked weakly. "You too, you pervert. I'm glad I got to love all three of you." She looked down at Naruto with adoration. "Plus, today is Naruto's birthday." She looked at the two men she loved dearly. "Most of all, if I were to imagine me alive and our future together as family," Tamotsu sniffed and the seals pulsed once more with his emotions, "Then I can't see us all being anything but happy." Kushina watched as Minato and Tamotsu openly cried in front of her and her heart hurt, but she had to do this. These words needed to be spoken before…it was too late. "But if I were allowed just one regret," her voice cracked as she cried, "I wish I could have seen Naruto grow up." Her thumb gently caressed the sleeping baby's face. Minato covered his face with his hands and shakily stood up, tears still falling from his face and onto the grass floor. Tamotsu, much to his embarrassment, couldn't take it anymore and began to bawl like baby. He stood up with Minato and wiped his eyes in a futile attempt to stop crying.

The red-haired man bowed deeply, "Kushina-kun, I'll take your p-place! Allow me this chance to makeup all my wrongs done against you! To redeem myself in your e-eyes." The redhead sniffed. "Allow me the honor of dying in your stead. You can't leave Naruto alone. You have so many p-people who care for y-you. Everyone that cared for me is d-dead. Please let me join them."

The seal remained quiet, watching everything play out. It's not like there was much it could do. It sighed. Well, even though its life had been short, it had still been a good life. Coming to know the Uzumaki through his memories, it knew that its time in this world would only last for so long. Stupid, soft-hearted Uzumakis and their fucking lack of self-preservation.

Kushina looked up at Tamotsu, not knowing what to say, "Tamotsu…I…you…"

Minato's voice had them both whipping their heads around, having almost forgotten the quiet man. "There's no need for either of you to die to kill the Nine-Tails." His voice did not shake as he spoke, "Preserve what little remains of your chakra for your reunion with Naruto."

"Huh?" Kushina said in confusion. What was the sissy talking about? The blonde turned and addressed his cousin-in-law.

"Tamotsu-san, can you summon your chains to replace Kushina's?" He asked, ever polite even in the face of such great peril. "I need you to create a barrier with those chains of yours. We can't risk anyone interfering." Tamotsu swallowed nervously. Could he? He'd only been able achieve just a few chains whenever he attempted summoning them manually. Only a high degree of emotion could really trigger the jutsu's full power. His eyes went over to Kushina. She was going to die, the amount of chakra the sealing chains were asking of her was too much. If she held out any longer she'd die for sure and the Kyuubi would be free to kill them all. He closed his eyes, trying to summon the famed golden chains. He felt hot chakra forming on his back but it wasn't enough. How Kushina could pull off the jutsu so effortlessly, he didn't know. Gold chakra glowed then faded as the jutsu sputtered to a halt. Tamotsu bit his lip. No, he couldn't do it he wasn't strong-

 _"_ _Focus, baka!"_ The seal's gruff voice barked out, interrupting him. _"If you don't pull your act together we're all going to die! Your precious 'Kushina-kun' will be nothing more than a toothpick for our furry freind over there. Naruto, Minato, the whole village will be destroyed just like Uzushiogakure. Are you honestly going to stand here in your pity party and just let it happen?"_

Something stirred in Tamotsu and he held on fast to the emotion.

 _"_ _No, I will not, I_ ** _cannot_** _allow that."_ Tamotsu breathed deeply. _"T-Thank you, seal-san. I needed that."_ The blue-eyed shinobi said gratefully.

 _"_ _Yeah, yeah. Don't you start that mushy gushy crap with me too."_ It almost sounded embarrassed. Almost.

Tamotsu couldn't let Kushina, her baby, nor her husband just die in front of him. Not when he'd made a promise to protect his clan. They were apart of his clan now and Tamotsu never broke his promises.

A burning sensation came from his back as five chakra chains burst out and shot in the direction of Kushina's fading chains.

He promised to protect her. And that included everything she held precious as well. Flashes of his destroyed village filled his head. Corpses of children of all ages strewn like leaves. He couldn't let what happened to him happen to them too. Not if he could do something about it.

Tamotsu grunted as more chains shot out then more and more until the fox was completely restrained and a dome had been created around them, completely blocking anybody from coming in or going out.

His seals, Tamotsu was alarmed to notice, were beginning to flare up. He struggled to deactivate them. If they consumed the Kyuubi's chakra he risked losing control of both the jutsu and himself again. He could not allow that to happen again.

 _"_ _Let me handle it,"_ Seal-san said, its voicing coming out forced as it tried to ignore its directive. It had been designed to leech chakra upon contact and distribute to keep his host's body and mind from deteriorating.

Kushina's chains faded away and Minato caught her as the only things keeping her up had been the Adamantine Sealing Chains.

"Minato…what are you planning?" She asked, allowing him to lay her on the grass. Minato stood.

"I'm going to seal the rest of the fox's chakra into Naruto." He walked away towards the beast. "It'll be part of the eight trigram sealing style." Kushina watched wordlessly as Minato continued walking. "And then I'll take the Nine-Tails with me. With the sealing just I can do, not being a jinchuuriki, the Shiki Fūjin!" He called out.

 _"_ _Well, shit just got serious."_

Tamotsu gasped and from his crouched position he could only stare at Minato in horror. No. That was impossible. He'd never seen anyone perform that jutsu but he recognized the hand seals needed for it. Where had Minato even learned that jutsu? It had been sealed away in the Uzumaki's scroll of forbidden jutsu. Only someone from the main family could open the scroll sue to all the security precautions they'd taken. His eyes rested on Kushina. Of course. Kushina must have been entrusted with any possessions that hadn't been burned or destroyed. That was the only way Minato could have learned such a costly jutsu.

Kushina cried out, reaching for her husband. "But that jutsu results in the castors death!"

Tamotsu blanched, from both the chakra slowly draining from his body and the implications of using the Dead Demon Consuming seal. Not only would they die but the souls of those trapped within the Shinigami's stomach can't enter the Pure Land and are destined to fight for all eternity with their chosen enemy.

Tamotsu furiously thought of anything useful he'd learned in all his years studying Fuuinjutsu. His mind came up blank.

"One more thing," Minato said, ignoring Kushina's pleas and cries.

Tamotsu felt like screaming in frustration. One more thing?! What more could Minato sacrifice? "I'm only going to seal away half of the Kyuubi. Partly because it's physically impossible to seal away so much power, but also because it's not strategically wise." Kushina's grip of Naruto became death-like. Tamotsu grunted and dug his nails into the ground.

 _"_ _Shitshitshitshitshitshit!"_ The seal chanted, trying to manage what little was left of their chakra. _"Farting freaking erections. Gah!_ " It needed more chakra. There was no way it would be able to keep its host's body functioning if they didn't get chakra in them. Like now.

Tamotsu hissed in pain. He knew that Seal-san was doing all that it could do. But he didn't think he'd last much longer like this. The Kyuubi snarled, straining its muscles as it tried to free itself.

"If the Nine-Tails is lost along with either of you two, there will be no jinchuriki until it reemerges, upsetting the balance." Tamotsu cried out as the chains burned into his skin, heating up due the malevolent chakra slowly seeping in. Minato had to hurry and finish. There wasn't much time left. Tamotsu was strong, from what he'd seen so far, but the man was clearly not used to using the adamantine sealing chains for such an extended period time and on such a large target.

"With the Shiki Fūjin seal we can at least seal half of the Kyuubi forever." Kushina dreaded what her husband was going to say next. What would happen with the other half? Minato's voice was unsteady as he looked into the redhead's eyes, "And the other half," Kushina stared at her husband, willing him not to say it. "I'm going to seal inside Naruto." Kushina sobbed. Why her baby? Anybody but her baby! But deep inside she knew it had to be Naruto. There was no time to find anyone else and how could she possibly ask somebody else to take on this burden? To become a living sacrifice? Kushina sobbed. Of course it had to be little Naruto. It was only fitting that he continue the tradition. The Kyuubi seemed to be a burden shared only by her family. But still! Like hell she was going to take this sitting down, 'ttebane!

Minato spoke before Kushina could even begin her counter argument and approached her slowly.

"I know what you're going to say. But do you remember what Jiraiya-sensei said about world upheaval and the calamities that will accompany that?" Kushina paused, distinctly remembering the old pervert having grown uncharacteristically somber one day while out eating ramen with the couple. When prompted hesitantly by Minato the sannin had told them of a prophecy revealed to him by the great toad sage, Gamamaru. That a student of Jiraiya, the Child of Prophecy, would change the world.

Kushina stared at her husband, unsure at what he was trying to say.

"There are two things I've become convinced of today." His voice was grave as he spoke. "That masked man that attacked you…he will bring catastrophe to this world." The Yondaime looked down at his son and spoke softly, "And this child…will stop him." There was a certain conviction in his voice that reminded Kushina of why Minato had been chosen as Hokage- that infamous Will of Fire.

Tamotsu fought to keep his concentration on reining the fox down as he listened to the man speak. "He will open up the future as a jinchuuriki. I don't know how but I'm sure of it!" Minato said firmly with all the belief that only a father could possess for their child.

"But Minato!" Kushina yelled as her husband stood up. No, she didn't want to lose him. But she didn't want to lose her baby or her village either. Mikoto, Kakashi, and so many others would lose their lives if what had to be done was not done. Minato walked away and every step he took away from his family hurt him like no other pain he had ever felt before. But he had to do this because the same realization that had dawned upon Kushina also came to him. So much death could be avoided. He just had to have the strength to do what was necessary- what was _right_. His only regret, like Kushina, was that he would not be around to watch over his son.

"M-Minato-san!" Tamotsu yelled in protest as the man clasped his hands to perform that cursed seal.

 _"_ _STOP WHINING, BAKA!"_ His seal yelled. _"MINATO, HURRY THE FUCK UP RIGHT NOW!"_ It was slipping up. There just wasn't enough energy to send to Tamotsu's jutsu and to itself to keep the redhead alive. They were running out of chakra fast.

"We have to believe in Naruto!" Minato exclaimed, summoning the Shinigami. "After all. He is our son and your nephew, Tamotsu-san."

Tamotsu stared in horror as the death god himself appeared behind the blonde. Confusion then replaced his previous horror. But it didn't make any sense. Only the summoner and its intended target were able to see it unless…

Tamotsu's eyes widened. No, it couldn't be possible...he...h-he shouldn't be able to see the Death God...

...

...

...unless he was already dead.

 _"_ _Why the flying horse head do you think I'm here for?"_ Seal-san's deep voice rumbled in the back of his head. _"You're dead, ya moron. A shitting zombie for all intents and purposes."_ It snickered, completely ignorant of his host's shock, _"Guess that old moniker of yours fits now, huh,_ ** _Zombie Kunoichi_** _?"_


	16. Birth of a Jinchuuriki

**A/N: And now we bring the Kyuubi Attack arc to a close.**

 ***sobs***

 **But hey! Another fast update.**

 **Big thank you to _Dr. Sparkeater_ and everyone else who had reviewed, favorited, followed, or whoever bothered to click on my fic. I really appreciate :) Like a lot.**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own any of this sad, heart-string-pulling shit.**

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 _"I failed you one last thing. Here is my chance to rectify it. It was never because I didn't feel it. It was because I swore I would never say it, and a man is nothing if he can't keep his promises_  
 _So I write it to the sky -_  
 _I love you, a thousand times over. And I will never apologize for it."_

\- Renee Ahdieh

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Chapter 16: Birth of a Jinchuuiki

Tamotsu felt it hard to breathe, his breath coming in too quick and small. Was he really dead? He faintly heard the seal muttering something about deaf _and_ blind idiots.

What did that even mean for him? His eyes wandered to his hands where he could see the distinct ink markings moving across him. What had his grandmother _done_ to him?

 _"_ _Saved your miserable ass and stuck me with you, that old hag."_ The seal answered for him in an annoyed tone.

 _"_ _Oh,"_ Tomotsu said numbly. Oh.

He took in a shaky breath and held it. Okay, now was not the time or place to panic. Minato was depending on him to keep the Kyuubi down until he finished the sealing. The least he could do was be dependable.

Tamotsu let out a long breath and looked back at the Shinigami. Who was looking right at _him?_ Its translucent eyes seemed to pierce into his soul, leaving him naked and exposed. Tamotsu let out a strangled scream and looked away.

 _"_ _Ignore the creepy fucker. He probably sees me inside you. Now FOCUS!"_ His tenant was right. He couldn't afford to get distracted now.

Minato gave the redhead an odd look before focusing on the task at hand. The orange massive fox gave a roar, almost looking _scared_ at the death god looming ominously behind Minato. Tamotsu could feel the tailed beast's fear through the chakra that the seal had accidentally absorbed.

Kushina was still crying, not able to see the Shinigami in all its terrifying glory.

"It's because he's our s-son," Kushina yelled and swallowed painfully, looking down and envisioning the miserable life her son would have to endure if he became like her- just another vessel, " that I don't want him to bear such a heavy burden!" She hiccuped and held the sleeping infant tightly. She looked up at Minato through her sorrow and regret. "Why Shiki Fūjin? I want you to stay with Naruto and watch over him too!" Kushina was almost screaming at this point, trying to reason with her husband. "Why?! Why does Naruto have to be sacrificed for the tailed beast balance? For the country? For the village?" The Uzumaki woman sobbed loudly. The sound was heart-wrenching.

Tamotsu dug his sharpening nails into the ground. Useless. He had no power here nor would he ever. He was useless to his cousin. _Useless useless useless useless…_

Minato fought back tears. This was the only way. The only way that would see Naruto living. Regrettably, it would not be a happy life but he would _live_.

The Shinigami turned away from the male redhead and the odd entity residing within the human. It held out a set of red prayer beads. It knew what had to be done. Curse those infernal Uzumaki brats. He served no one! The God grumbled lowly to itself but set out to do its summoned task. It began chanting unintelligibly, the beads coiling itself around the death god's arm like a snake.

Kushina continued her rant, her voice growing more hysterical and broken.

"Why do you have to sacrifice yourself for my sake!?"

Minato turned around to face his wife. Her being screamed, " _Why?'"_

Because he could see no other way in such a hopeless situation.

Because they would all die if he didn't do something.

Because he loved her.

Kushina broke down on the forest floor, her strength spent.

"To forsake one's country and one's village is the same as forsaking one's child." The kunoichi looked up at her husband, listening closely. "You whose birth nation is no more," Tamotsu flinched violently at this. Yes, Uzushiogakure was nothing now. Just a memory. "You and Tamotsu-san know this all too well. How harsh life is with those without a land to call home." Tears fell down onto the grass as Tamotsu grieved. He had no home now. Just memories of a happier time. Nothing but pictures and snippets of sounds in his mind. "We are _ninja_ ," Minato said with conviction. His eyes burned deeply, leaving everyone speechless. Tamotsu couldn't tear his eyes away even if he wanted to. This man was a Kage. Possibly the strongest he'd ever seen.

 _"_ _And here I thought this dude was just another shinobi wannabe."_ The seal muttered in awe.

Kushina was silent as she contemplated his words. Tamotsu sniffed, trying to call back his boogers before they fell down his face. His hands trembled under the pressure of steadying his body as the sealing chains held down the struggling bijuu.

"Finally, even if I were to live I'd lose out to you." Kushina made a surprised noise and stared in surprise at the blonde. "Even though you won't have much time with him," All three of them were well aware of this, but it was just painful to hear out loud. Her wounds and exhaustion would soon catch up with her and it was too late for anyone to save her. Not even Tsunade, with all her medical knowledge, could save the doomed woman. "There are things that only you can tell Naruto. Things I can't because you are his mother. So I'm not doing this just for you. I'm doing it for Naruto." He said this calmly and with an air of finality that left no room for objection.

Tamotsu could feel sweat dripping down his forehead. He was losing control. The beast was too strong for him to handle. The tailed beast's hand managed to wriggle free and it reached out. "I will die for my son. It is my duty as his father!" Just as he said this the Shinigami finished its deathly chant and reached its arm back. Minato quickly turned, glaring at the orange colored fox. The death god's hand, covered in curse seals, shot out from Minato and towards the raging Bijuu. It met with the bijuu's freed hand and the chakra monster grunted in pain. His red eyes stared into Minato's own.

"What?" Its deep voice questioned incredulously. "Don't tell me you-"

" _Fuuinjutsu: Shiki Fūjin!_ " Minato yelled. The Shinigami's jagged teeth shined maliciously in the moonlight. Half of the Bijuu's soul was suddenly dragged into the air and towards Minato where it was swiftly sealed inside him. Minato grunted in pain.

"My body's going numb. I can't believe how heavy his chakra is." His voice was forced and sounded like he was under a lot of pressure. Smoke billowed out of the man's jounin vest where the seal had been placed.

The tailed beast stumbled to the ground from the huge drain and reached out a clawed hand. Tamotsu tried to summon more chains but he couldn't. His legs shook and he collapsed on the ground.

 _"_ _Sorry,"_ the seal's deep voice murmured apologetically. And he truly was sorry he couldn't help the brat out more. It couldn't risk taking in any more of the Bijuu's chakra. If he did that then the action would be moot. Tamotsu's focus would lose out to the tidal of negative emotions and the Kyuubi would be free. Plus, if he had a human body he would be shitting baby dragons right now from the first and _last_ time he would consume the fox's chakra.

"Y-You pathetic mortal! Fourth Hokage, I'll crush you!" The Nine-Tails hollered threateningly. Minato ignored it with balls of steel and staggered towards Kushina and Naruto. He held his stomach, grunting at the searing pain omitting from the area.

"Now for eight trigrams sealing to lock away the rest of the Kyuubi inside Naruto." He reached down to the ground and summoned the altar for the sealing to take place. All three of them stared at the wooden structure and the candles surrounding it. This was it. This was where it would begin and where it would end for all of them. Minato slowly reached and took Naruto from Kushina who just stared numbly.

The chakra fox had watched everything with a hate-clouded mind, trying blindly to use his strength to free himself. He'd only managed to get his arm out and that was only because the red-haired man's chakra was considerably weaker that Kushina's.

His eyes widened in realization. "A sealing altar!?" His blackened lips quivered in fury. "Your planning to seal me up again!?" Him, The Great Kyuubi no Yoko, was to be sealed away in some measly maggot? "Not in that baby!" He roared. To be jailed inside something so pathetic was unacceptable! Worse than having been stripped of his freedom and sealed into that Mito woman. This was a direct blow to his ego. They dare think they could seal him into some kit?!

Kushina coughed, spitting out blood. Minato hurriedly placed Naruto on the altar and rushed to his wife's side.

"Kushina!"

Tamotsu whipped his head around as Kushina's body shuddered violently. His concentration lapsing, the chains momentarily weakened, drooping down and losing their vibrant color as his chakra reserves were almost depleted. He had no time to tighten the seals before the beast seized his opportunity.

"Here's my chance!" He roared, darting a single claw towards Naruto. One stab and that's all it would take to secure his freedom.

Tamotsu leaped up and allowed the nail to sail straight through him, acting as a barrier of sorts.

He screamed in agony as the claw shot its way through his chest like wet paper. But it wasn't enough. The fox's claw wasn't slowing down. He dug his heels into the ground.

 _"_ _PUT YOUR BACK INTO, YOU DEATH-LOVING ASSWAD!"_ The seal snapped. Tamotsu grit his teeth through the agony and summoned chakra to his feet, but the bijuu was too strong as the claw headed sailed towards Naruto. Minato jumped half a second earlier than his wife to stop the impending claw. There was no time to cast a jutsu or anything. Tamotsu heard two pained cries in front him as finally, the Nine-Tail's hand stopped just an inch away from the newborn baby. The nail was slick with their blood. A drop landed on tiny Naruto.

"K-Kushina! Minato!" Tamotsu screamed, turning his head away from the tailed beast to look at the nightmare behind him. No! This wasn't supposed to happen. She wasn't supposed to die, none of them were. He'd failed her. He'd failed Minato. Most importantly he'd failed Naruto who would inevitably suffer the fate of an orphan.

"YOU!" The Kyuubi bellowed, outraged that his attack had been thwarted. Tamotsu summoned all the chakra he had left to spare and tightened the chains, bringing down the fox again. It's arm moved up to slam it down on Naruto but with a cry from Tamotsu the man summoned more chains and pinned the outstretched limb. The nine-tailed beast swore up and down.

"T-Tamotsu, Kushina, I said I was his f-father. D-Dying for him is my r-right!" Minato yelled, a little miffed that his declaration had gone completely ignored by the two Uzumakis.

"Y-You have m-my apologies, Hokage-sama, b-but I'm his uncle," Tamotsu coughed out a blob of blood, "Dying for him is also m-my right."

"What?!" Crimson liquid dribbled down the Kushina's chin as she indignantly screamed, "I'm h-his mother, 'ttebane! I gave birth to him! Dying is m-my right too, ya know!"

Minato's silence spoke volumes about what he thought about this 'betrayal'.

"Ah, I-I-I'm sorry, Minato-san, 'ttebaru! Please a-accept my s-sincerest apologies." Somehow Tamotsu managed an apologetic bow.

Minato sweatdropped. He imagined if Tamotsu hadn't had a claw stuck inside him, he would have been groveling at his feet.

Kushina panted breathlessly but relented. Damn it.

"Fine." The Red Hot-Blooded Habanero lowered her head in defeat. This was one fight she was destined to lose. "This is the first time I've lost an argument against you." Minato remained quiet and Tamotsu blinked. "It proves how serious you are."

Humble as always and not wanting to gloat his victory Minato lowered his head, "Thank you, Kushina."

The sound of a sword unsheathing distracted Tamotsu and he looked up. The man squeaked as the Shinigami stared at him. Minato's soul hovered over the group lifelessly.

Minato knew their time was almost up. It was time to put both his and Kushina's chakra into the seal. His eyes flickered to Tamotsu. He was sure the redhead would survive. He'd only gotten glimpses at the seal, but from what he'd observe only Tamotsu would be leaving this place alive with Naruto.

Minato held up his left hand in a seal and used the other to gather Kushina's chakra. The two chakra's flowed into Naruto's seal, glowing blue before disappearing.

"Okay, that…should do it." Speaking was becoming a chore for him. "I'm going…to perform the…eight trigrams seal…now…"

Kushina's labored breathing was his only reply along with Tamotsu's wheezing. He could hardly breathe as well. He supposed that was to be expected when impaled in the abdomen by a large claw.

Both parents stared at the peaceful face of their slumbering son. Tamotsu, on the other hand, was still staring in fear at the Shinigami who just wouldn't turn away from him.

 _"_ _Does he even blink?"_ The seal questioned. _"I don't think I've seen the bastard blink once."_

"We won't see him for a while," Minato said. "so let's tell Naruto what we want to say to him."

The tailed beast screamed again and shook his hand furiously. He also knew that his time was almost up.

Tamotsu summoned what little chakra he had and shot out two more sealing chains to help restrain the fox's arm. He would not allow for the bijuu to interrupt what would be his cousin's and her husband's last few minutes with their only child. Oh, how'd he failed her. Tears clouded his vision and the fox became one huge fuzzy orange blob.

Kushina nodded, "Naruto, don't be a picky eater. Eat a lot and grow big and strong. Make sure to bathe everyday…and stay warm. Don't stay up too late. Get plenty of sleep." Kushina smiled at her child. "Plus, make friends…you don't need tons…okay…?" Minato watched his wife's trembling back as she spoke and felt a smile pull at his lips despite the agony. "Just a few…that you can really…trust. And your mom was really bad at this…but study hard and learn your ninjutsu…Just everyone…is good at some things and not so good at others." Tamotsu smiled bitterly. Kushina shouldn't have to go through this. If only he'd been stronger. It was all his fault. They were both going to die for his failure. And he would have to live with their deaths on his conscience.

"So even if…things don't go well... don't get depressed, okay? At the Academy respect…your teachers. Oh and regarding the Three Prohibitions…be extra careful about loaning and borrowing money…Make sure you save money from your mission pay," Tamotsu, if he wasn't in so much pain, would have chuckled. Kushina, his firecracker of a cousin, could be really such a mother hen when she wanted to. But these were her last words to her son and he would never do anything to disrespect that. Apparently, his inhabitant had no qualms.

 _"_ _How much longer is she going to flap those lips? It's not like the brat's gonna remember any of it."_ Tamotsu could feel it rolling its eyes. " _Kami, spare me the heartfelt crap and kill us now."_

 _"_ _Seal-san!"_ Tamotsu scolded. " _Hush now and let Kushina-kun speak."_ The gruff voice just grumbled quietly to itself after that.

"And…don't start drinking till your 21…Too much much drink is bad for your body…so…drink in moderation," Or he'll become a drunkard like their cousin Tsunade. Tamotsu sweatdropped. "And the most problematic…girls…" Minato sighed. Kushina really was thinking of everything. "I'm a girl so I really don't know much about this…But at some point you'll notice girls…And that's normal…Just be careful…Don't fall for the first girl that comes your way," Kushina's breath was ragged, her life almost spent. "Find…someone…like me, 'ttebane." She said, smiling kindly. "Plus, speaking of the Three Prohibitions…Be wary of Jiraiya-sensei, ya know…And take care of your uncle…he might be a brilliant jounin but he's awful at…everything else, ne?" She just knew, by her cousin's will alone and the seal placed on him, that he would be the only one to come out of this alive.

Kushina huffed, straddling in some much-needed air. Why was it so hard to breath? Oh. Right. She had a freaking claw coming out her chest.

"Naruto…there'll be plenty of hard…and painful times ahead…" The Nine-Tails growled and shook his hand roughly. Tamotsu panted and tightened the chains. His eyes were beginning to feel heavy and why was everything so blurry all of a sudden?

Kushina mourned for the life of their child that they would miss. "Take care of yourself. Make sure to have dreams. And the confidence to make those dreams come true!"

Kushina bowed her head. How? How could she bear to abandon her child to this cruel world, shouldering a burden no one should ever have to endure. Minato squeezed her hand, silently offering support. "So much…There's so…so…much!" Kushina looked at Naruto's little face, who was completely unaware of what was transpiring. But she knew he was listening to her voice. "There really is so much more…I want to tell you!" Kushina bit back a sob. "I want to be with you longer!" She cried. And in that moment she felt something indescribable blossom in her chest. it wasn't guilt or sadness. No, it was warm.

"I love you," Kushina said and the warmness grew as she gazed at her child's face. "I'm sorry, Minato, Tamotsu-nee, I talked too much."

The seal grunted in agreement.

Tamotsu breathlessly laughed, "Don't apologize. It w-was…nice seeing this…side of you…I wasn't aware you could…be so m-motherly…" If all her blood hadn't been directing itself towards her vital organs Kushina would have blushed. Figures. Tamotsu always had something embarrassing to say.

Minato shook his head, "No, It's…all right…" His eyes went from his wife to his child. "Naruto, my words to you as a father," Tamotsu became very attentive. This man, The Fourth Hokage, who'd demonstrated willpower that could rival his clan's, was going to speak what was probably going to be his _last_ words. Anyone worth their salt would be fighting for this chance. Tamotsu could only speculate as to what the man would he say.

There was a tense silence which was quickly broken by Konoha's Yellow Flash.

"Is ditto to what your loquacious mother said." Minato grinned brightly through the pain.

Tamotsu sighed in exasperation. Yes, this man was definitely his cousin's husband.

Minato formed the handsign for the eight trigram seal.

"Sealing Art: Eight Trigrams Seal," Minato whispered. And with that, the Kyuubi was sealed into little Naruto.

 _"_ _We don't have much chakra left but that wrinkly bag of skin, your grandmother, entrusted your flimsy life to me. So I can't exactly let you die on my watch. I'm gonna patch up whatever is left of you."_

Tamotsu, the seals on his body already mending his torn skin, was quick to catch the couple before they hit the ground. He retracted the chains and the barrier around them disappeared. Tamotsu wept openly as he cradled Kushina in his lap.

"K-Kushina-kun, I'm so s-sorry, so sorry. I messed up again. It's all my fault."

Kushina gazed up at him through half-lidded eyes and managed to smile.

"Stop…apologizing already…" Her hand reached out and grasped Minato's hand who was watching the pair silently. "Besides you can always make it up to me." Tamotsu cried harder. Anything. He'd do anything to right this wrong. "Take care of Naruto for us," Kushina whispered, the rise and fall of her chest slowing.

Minato coughed roughly but managed a warm smile.

"It w-was nice to finally meet you, Tamotsu-san." The blonde's body shook as he coughed again. "K-Kushina always s-spoke so highly of you." Tamotsu tried to smile through the tears, but it came out more as a grimace. He looked at Kushina who, even though she was hairbreadths away from death, had the energy to look embarrassed.

Her eyes widened slightly and with a shaky hand, she reached for the black hair clip her cousin had entrusted her with all those years ago. "Oh yeah. I almost forgot. Here…I took care of it…just like you asked me…to…" Tamotsu took his cousin's hand and together they placed the barrette in his hair. As the skin on his chest repaired itself a greater, deeper wound took its place in his heart.

"I love you, Kushina-kun," Tamotsu whispered and brushed her bangs away from her face.

Kushina sighed. "I love you too, nee-chan…take care of N-Naruto."

Tamotsu placed his fist over his chest. The whole thing felt like deja-vu.

"I swear on my life, Kushina-kun. I'll protect Naruto no matter. I won't fail this time. I promise." More tears fell down his face as the light began to leave Kushina and Minato's eyes. "I p-promise, 'ttebaru."

"Make sure everyone sees him for who he is," Minato muttered through the numbness that was beginning to set in. "A hero. Please, take care of our son Tamotsu-san."

Tamotsu nodded frantically, his hair flying around.

"Of c-c-course! I promise, I promise, _I promise_ ," The redhead chanted the phrase over and over.

Kushina simply smiled up at him, the action taking Tamotsu's breath away. It was so innocent, so _forgiving._ Those beautiful eyes, appearing sometimes grey when she was sad or serious, blue when she happy, and violet when she was angry or talking about ramen; those eyes, hers, looked up at him with all the life and love she had left.

Kushina sighed and her body went limp against Tamotsu. And just like the myriad of colors he'd always admired faded into nothing more than a dull grey, lost forever.

A wretched sob tore through Tamotsu's throat as closed the pair's eyes. She was dead. Minato was dead. They were both dead now. Leaving behind a small child. Their child. His nephew- Naruto Uzumaki.

Tamotsu shakily got to his feet and staggered towards the baby who was crying shrilly.

The seal activated and the ink began retracting in a counter-clockwise motion, becoming smaller and smaller.

The baritone entity sounded exhausted as it spoke, _"We…don't have much…time left…gotta put us in…preservation mode…"_

Tamotsu's legs felt like lead and the seal on his body flickered dangerously, warning its host that their time was almost up.

Tamotsu sniffed loudly and dropped to his knees next to the wailing child.

"Hush, hush, Naruto-chan. I-I'm here." He reached down and picked up the baby. His arms trembled under the additional weight but he held on fast. He allowed himself to collapse on his back, careful not move Naruto too much. Naruto quieted down and closed his eyes, simply content to be held. Tamotsu's eyes fluttered close then they snapped opened. No, he couldn't give up.

"Everything is going to be a-alright." His words were slurred as his body went cold. He heard shouts and commands somewhere in the distance. Tamotsu held the baby tighter and felt all his remaining strength fade. "I'll take care of you, Naruto. I-I promise." His blue eyes weakly looked around as several ANBU arrived along with a familiar old friend.

 _"Hiruzen-chan? Is that you?"_

The older man's voice broke sluggishly through the fog of his man, ordering the ANBU accompanying him. A man who looked like the Yamanaka clan head appeared above him. His face was blurry but Tamotsu would have to be blind not to recognize those blue eyes that were a match to his.

He was speaking. Tamotsu fought hard to make sense of the garbled voice, "...stable but losing consciousness...can stabilize him until...going to be okay...Hokage-sama..."

Tamotsu allowed himself to close his eyes. They were in good hands now. They would take care of everything.

Seal-san cleared his throat, "Until next _time, Tamotsu-gaki."_

Tamotsu gave him a smile, his deep voice soothing and comforting for once.

 _"…_ _Thank you…Goodnight, Seal-san…"_

 _"_ _G'night, brat."_

And with that, the seal on his body flashed one last time as it conserved the last remaining vestiges of chakra to put the user in a deep slumber. A sleep that would last six long years.


	17. Red

**Disclaimer: Once again, I don't own the wonderful world of Naruto.**

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 _"That's the thing about flying: You could talk to someone for hours and never even know his name, share your deepest secrets and then never see them again."_

 _\- Jennifer E. Smith_

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Chapter 17: Red

Ayumi sighed and mumbled grumpily to herself as she walked down the narrow halls that belonged to ANBU Headquarters. Sure, it felt kinda cool and she was honored that the Hokage had given _her_ , just your average med-nin, a job in the village's most secure facility. And this wasn't just another _heal-them-and-leave-them_ shtick, but a mission that was so high profile it had been labeled S-rank. What were the odds of her, a chuunin, being given a freaking S-ranked mission?

Squat. Zero. Not a chance, José.

Yet here she was, trekking the silent halls.

On the downside, it wasn't like Ayumi could go home and brag about it to all her friends. Not only would that be treason, therefore punishable by death, but the thought of what her mother would do to her had her quaking in her boots. Yes, she was a grown ass woman, but she was a _smart_ grown ass woman. Ayumi had a healthy dose of fear for the retired Senju ninja. She was just glad that her mother had settled down with her father and retired after giving birth to her because can you imagine the horror? The utter chaos and mayhem?

Ayumi shivered. Yes, her mother was a force to reckon with.

Curious eyes behind masks watched the nurse as she turned a corner as she neared the medical cells where injured prisoners were held.

But there was also another reason she wasn't all that tempted to shove the news in her peer's faces- nothing ever happened down here.

Zip. Zero. Nada.

Now that the war had ended a few years ago the place was mostly empty. No longer were the medical wards needed to bring their enemies back from the brink of death only to push them off again in the T&I department.

The place was deserted save for the two ANBUs that always stood guard outside the hall, herself, and the ward's only resident. It was boring as hell working down here. The place had only one patient and the guy was in a coma due to some weird strain of chakra exhaustion. Just another medical mystery that had left her extremely baffled. The terrible thing was it looked like he was never going to come out of it. In the six years Red had been under care his chakra levels had never risen above the level at which he was brought in with. Sadly, the small amount was slowly dropping lower and lower, his body fighting to stay alive without expending too much chakra. It would be a useless battle in the end.

Ayumi had nothing much to do other than feed the poor bastard via the IV and check his vitals every now and then.

She tapped her fingernails against her clipboard and pushed open the door with a jerk of her hips. The brown-haired woman glanced down at the information on the clipboard. She already had it memorized. There wasn't much on it. Just the regular stats and her own personal updates on the man's condition. It wasn't uncommon for the ninja's sent down here to have so little on their profiles. But her unknown's case was peculiar. There was no name. Not even an ID number.

At first, she hadn't cared about that. So what if he didn't have a name? He could be a puppy killer for all she knew or like an enemy spy intent on exposing the village's secrets.

Ayumi had spent her first year attending to him with a professional and somewhat distant manner But as her second year was coming to an end her attitude changed. She handled him more carefully, spoke to him more, and, despite the risk and natural mistrust that came with being a ninja, she began to care for the drooling lump of a man. Ayumi even had a nickname for him: Red.

It was odd and the realization that she was actually fond of the comatose shinobi had her questioning her sanity. In the end, she had sighed in defeat, allowed this newfound affection to enter, and continued on with her life. But a fire had ignited in her, fueled by curiosity and Red's curious case

Ayumi walked over the unconscious man's bedside. She frowned thoughtfully as she peered down at him. His skin was pale and his eyes were dark with fatigue, but regardless he was surprisingly nice to look at. And no, she wasn't perving on the dude. No, it was…how could she put? Ah yes, something about him was familiar. Maybe it was his pale blue eyes that resembled the Yamanaka clan. Or the man's delicate hands that reminded Ayumi of her mother's. Or maybe it was Red's remarkable red hair that sparked something deeply nostalgic in her. Or the odd chakra scars marring his round face that sort of reminded her of a certain blonde-haired pariah.

The medic-nin reached out and let a few strands of red run through her fingers. A foggy image of her peeking up curiously around her mother's legs at a group of grinning redheads surfaces in her mind's eye. The memory was much too vague, but it left her feeling nice, warm.

Either way Red was a mystery to her. One that she'd been trying to solve after he'd first been admitted under her care six years ago.

The mystery man had been assigned to her with the simple task: make sure he was and _stayed_ alive. Couldn't interrogate a dead shinobi after all.

Ayumi had been specifically ordered by the Hokage to inform any and all ANBU members when or _if_ the man woke up. The event of him coming out of the coma was unlikely but orders were orders.

So here she was. Six years later and the guy was still going strong, taking the nap to end all naps.

But true to her nature she hadn't just sat around idly. Nope. Little did they know that Ayumi was a very curious person. A very curious and determined person. Some would say nosy and downright crazy but that was mere speculation. Nonetheless, once Ayumi was presented with a puzzle she'd go to any lengths to unravel it. No matter the cost. She'd crack it for sure.

So she spent a good portion of her free time delving into her very own conundrum- Red.

A little beep brought her out of her musings.

The red-eyed woman leaned over and squinted at the monitor, jotting down the numbers. This was different. Ayumi frowned. This was actually the strongest she'd seen his readings. True, it was only a tiny spike but it was an improvement compared to the shinobi's vegetable-like state.

Yes, Red was certainly something to ponder and mull over.

Ayumi, who was on leave while she took this supposedly 'top secret' mission, had used her clearance as a chuunin and shifted through the endless piles of ninja records taken from all of Konoha's shinobi and its affiliates.

A year passed of her shifting through the hundreds of filing cabinets on her off hours. Then one day, by pure chance, she'd struck gold. In a small dusty storage room there had been a small brown filing cabinet. It had been hidden under boxes of paperwork and was there that she had found an incredibly old file tucked in between the wall and the rusty filing cabinet where it had obviously fallen and been forgotten about. The cabinet that the file had been hidden behind was where Konoha's diplomatic ninja files were stored. She guessed someone had been perusing through and forgotten to put the folder away. The file was obviously outdated, the pages water-damaged and yellowed at the edges. It had to be at least twenty years old or so.

But she'd found something. No matter if the information wasn't entirely accurate anymore. It was a start. She'd found her patient's data when he had been little more than seven years old. Ayumi wanted to seriously question the madman who thought it wise to send some brat as their ambassador. But hey. Whatever. She'd seen kids younger than that tear a person limb from limb and execute B-rank jutsus so fast it'd give even her whiplash. And Ayumi was a chuunin with a specialty in ninjutsu and medical jutsu so that was saying something.

Sure, she could have made jounin by now, but she didn't see the point in such a label. She liked where she was at right now, working at the hospital and backing up the occasional squad on a mission. She didn't see a reason to change her lifestyle. Ayumi had seen enough in the war, having been sent out as a fresh genin, and she figured she deserved to lay low and take things easy. Yes, maybe she was squandering talents as her mother so often nagged to her about, but she was still serving her village and if the Hokage decided she was more fitted as a jounin then so be it. She'd take the rank and all its baggage with honor, no questions asked.

Anyways, the picture within the file was faded and wrinkled but the boy smiling politely in the photo bore a resemblance to her charge. Just erase the baby fat and add the scars on his face and it was a perfect match.

So it was then that she found out that Red had a name, a real one- Tamotsu Uzumaki. It was nice to put a name to the redhead's face. Ayumi had grown fond of her patient; a serious career mistake as the man could very well be an enemy ninja intent on bringing destruction to her home or, as she first thought, a puppy killer. But she liked having a name to call him by. Not that he could hear, but it was nice all the same. When she knew the ANBU weren't paying attention she'd whisper to him in hopes of getting a reaction. Nothing ever happened but she could still dream.

Now the name Uzumaki definitely stirred something in her. It wasn't till she was visiting her parent's and made an offhanded comment that the information truly began to bear fruit.

It was strange. Once the word left her mouth the air in the room seemed to thicken and all conversation stopped. Her father looked pinched and tense, but it was her mother's reaction that Ayumi paid the most attention to. Her mother, who was always so carefree and full of life, stopped all movement. Her smile slipped from her face like mud and the light in her eyes dulled, leaving her once radiant red orbs an insipid burgundy.

"Kaa-san?" Ayumi called out hesitantly, tapping the table nervously.

Her mother slowly turned her head and whispered in a voice filled with great pain, "Where…where did you hear…that name? Uzumaki?"

Against her better judgment and the threat of execution, she told her mother about a, ahem, _project_ she was working on and that involved the study of Konoha's past diplomatic relations. And one such diplomat by the name of Uzumaki Tamotsu had caught her interest because he was just so _young_. It wasn't a flat-out lie. Ayumi was just tweaking the truth just a tiny bit. That didn't stop the guilt she felt, however.

At the mention of the man's full name, the life returned to her mother, if a little subdued, and she smirked. Turns out that she had known Tamotsu in real life. What were the odds of that?

Albeit, she hadn't known him personally, but being a distant relative, she had exchanged polite words with him and even sparred with him once. She'd beaten him to a pulp of course, but her mother remembered that despite his mousy mannerisms Tamotsu was a hardy fighter, getting back up over and over like a stubborn cockroach.

Excitedly, since this was the most information she had received, Ayumi questioned her mother more about the enigmatic Uzumaki.

According to her mother, her birth clan and Tamotsu's were cousin clans. Both were more or less extinct. Senju, due to intermarriage and her clan wanting vengeance after the genocide of their cousins. Any remaining Senju were either retired or worked exclusively for ANBU. And the Uzumaki...well that was history. Literally.

Ayumi's mother had then wistfully told her all she knew about Tamotsu. So that day Ayumi had learned that Tamotsu was the Uzumaki clan head's favored nephew and was quite notorious for getting into all kinds of silly shenanigans. The man had been a good source of gossip as trouble never failed to find him. Gave all the housewives something to giggle about at the hot springs. Her mother's clan heir Tsunade, the slug princess and one of sannin, had the man wrapped around her little finger. Ayumi was happy at that since that meant that her charge was less likely to be some villainous figure like she'd feared.

But this was all clan gossip and her mother's opinion so Ayumi had looked back at Tamotsu's official folder again.

According to his little self's data Tamotsu had been quite a strong brat at his tender age, excelling greatly in fuuinjutsu ("Typical Uzumaki, pfft," her mother muttered) and was really clumsy if his medical records were anything to go by.

But that was it. Other than his name and some commonplace clan knowledge that was all she had to go on. No other records existed to tell of his time leading up to his current predicament. Although her mother was adamant that he was dead and Ayumi wasn't really gonna risk her mission (or her neck, for that matter) to tell the aging woman otherwise.

Learning that he'd been a prominent member of a now extinct clan did her nothing. It wasn't like she could go to Uzushiogakure and shift through the junk and dirt, praying for a miracle.

So pretty much all she knew of her charge was that his name was Tamotsu Uzumaki, was part of the main family of the Uzumaki clan, was pretty good at fuuinjutsu, and he freaking looked like a girl. Seriously, if she wasn't in charge of giving his body a sponge bath every once in awhile she would have never guessed.

But that had all changed a few days ago.

See, she was flipping through her father's old bingo books while waiting for his lazy ass to show up so she could wish him a happy birthday when she'd stumbled upon it.

 _Uzushiogakure's Zombie Kunoichi, Uzumaki Tamotsu._

 _Approach with caution, as opponent is easily startled. If battle is unavoidable pray to Kami that the bitch stays dead._

 _Villiiage affiliation: Uzushiogakure_

 _Age: 20_

 _Height: 154 cm_

 _Weight: 129 lbs_

 _Class: Jonin. High A-rank_

 _Skill Set: Master of Uzumaki fuuinjutsu, advanced speed, and taijutsu._

 _Elemental Affinity: Water_

 _Status: Deceased_

There was even a photo. Tamotsu's hair shimmered in the light and he was smiling shyly, brushing back his bangs. It was a pretty cute photo for a bingo book. It was also the most time accurate information she dug up. Mentally comparing the image of a bed-bound redhead and the one in the photo it all looked pretty up to date. Even if the bingo book was like a decade old it was still better that his pre-ninja file.

But it was crazy to think this adorable man in the photo was the same A-class shinobi who was _ever so peacefully_ sleeping beneath Konoha's ANBU headquarters.

Not only had he been some badass seal master but he had been declared _dead,_ but there he was. Very much alive and, ya know, not dead. In some type of chakra coma, but those are just details.

Ayumi shook her head and tapped her foot on the stone floor in irritation. It was no use. After that tidbit of information the trail had gone cold. She was forever left wondering what could have happened to such a powerful shinobi to leave him on the brink of death. Must have been one hell of a battle.

Of course, she had her own personal theories. Each one more radical than the previous. But those were just that- theories and nothing more. And proving them could bring some unwanted attention to her person or suspended from active duty.

Ayumi's red eyes roamed over her clipboard. She groaned. Great. She hated this part of her job. She summoned medical chakra to her hands and placed them at the head of her patient. It's not that she didn't like touching people, it was a job requirement after all, but after doing this everyday to the same guy she had memorized every single curve, every mangled scar. It was oddly intimate now. Ayumi sighed before slowly moving downwards as her chakra scanned him for any internal anomalies.

"One day I'm gonna figure you out, Red." She muttered as her hands stopped over his heart. "Just you see-"

Then it happened out of nowhere. Not even her battle-hardened reflexes could have helped her. The seal that had laid dormant for so long activated, climbing up the woman's arm and spreading all over her body before she could form a hand seal. It felt cool against her skin. The familiar scent of blood overwhelmed her for a second, suffocating her.

Ayumi did the only logical thing she could do in a situation like this.

She took in a deep breath and screamed. The black ink was quick to silence her, climbing into her mouth and down her throat.

A heartbeat later there were five ANBU positioned around her, weapons aimed and jutsus ready to fire. But then just as suddenly as the ink symbols had appeared they were gone, retreating back into its host in a counter-clockwise motion.

Ayumi's head felt light and her body trembled violently. Her stomach churned violently and she felt like throwing up. The taste…the _thing_ had left a metallic trail in her mouth… _blood._

 _"_ _What happened?"_ She tipped forwards and a sparrow masked ANBU was quick to catch her, whisking the med-nin away from the room. _"It feels like…I've been working in the hospital for days. My chakra…feels so low."_ She thought tiredly.

The monitors were going crazy, blinking and beeping.

Tamotsu gasped and shot up.

A faint voice in the back of his head bellowed dramatically, _"I LIVE, MOTHAFUCKAS!"_

His eyes frantically surveyed his surroundings for any immediate threats and escape routes. However, he took one look at the ANBUs gathered in the room and tensed, bringing his empty arms to his chest. Wait. That wasn't right. Hadn't he been holding something? Tamotsu stared down at his vacant hands and felt like crying.

 _"_ ** _NARUTO!_** _"_ His mind roared.

"W-Where is Naruto?! What have you done with him?" He questioned his silent captors. Tamotsu's heart was pounding too quickly as was shown to the ANBU by the frantic beeping of the monitor. The six ninjas in the room slowly edged closer. Tamotsu's eyes widened and he gripped the hospital gown over his chest as fear filled him. Something in the back of his head was shouting at him, but for the life of him he couldn't decipher what it was trying to tell him. His thoughts were a jumbled mess _"Got to find him… got to find him… got find Naruto… where is he? where did they take him?… cant't fail again… no no… must find find…. protect…last ones…where is he?"_

Tamotsu's hands shook. Not in fear for his safety but for Naruto's. He had to get to Naruto. Kushina had entrusted her _legacy_ to him, the man that had failed her countless times. The redhead's jaw clenched and his eyes were wide with fevered determination. The squad of ANBU twitched as the man's chakra fluctuated.

Tamotsu would not fail his nephew.

Tamotsu could feel sweat rolling down his back and forehead as he eyed the only available exit. The ANBU noticed the way he gazed at the door with a mixture of desperation and hunger. But it was too late. Despite having been in a chakra-depleted coma for six years Tamotsu managed to force his shaking limbs to work as he breathlessly knocked out the sparrow masked Anbu standing directly in front of his escape route.

Before Snake, their squad leader, could give out an order he found himself reeling back as a heart monitor crashed against his chest. He wheezed, trying to lift his head before he limply fell back.

A powerful blow to Wolf's head with an IV stand and next thing anyone of them knew the redhead was out of the cell, burned out security seals and a few chakra repressor seals floating down to the floor. The remaining ANBU consisting of Squirrel, Bear, and Spider sprinted out of the cell only to see a white speck with red turning the corner. The team of now three ANBU agents raced after him. Kunai and shuriken were thrown at him and imbedded themselves harmlessly in his muscles. It wouldn't kill him, but it would hurt like hell. However, in Tamotsu's frenzy, he felt no pain, his body numb. He felt strangely detached from his body even as he guided it through the maze of hallways and doors.

 _"_ _I have to get out of here!"_ The redhead clenched his mouth shut as he felt bile rise up in his throat. He stopped and with all the skill of an elite seal specialist, he disabled the seals securing the ward. The security seals were strong but after identifying them as older models designed by his clan it was fairly easy to render them nothing but scratch paper. Good thing too because most of them were rather cruel and imaginative. Especially the one that summoned a bucket of piranhas to the intruder's nether regions. Definitely his clan's work.

 _"_ _protect Naruto…find him…can't be late…no no…fail…protect…."_ Tamotsu summoned chakra to his legs and raced forward, his long hair flying back in the rush. The three ninjas, some of the best the village had to offer, were left in the man's dust as there were few that could match Tamotsu's speed. After having spent his childhood running away from bullies and having the fastest Uzumaki on his team it would have been a blow to his pride if he was considered _slow._

Tamotsu almost sighed with relief as he burst out of the building and felt the sun's rays. The man wasn't stupid though. As soon as his feet touched the outside world he was gone in a blur of red and white.

His eyes crazily scanned his surroundings as he peered out of the alleyway he'd hidden himself, holding down his chakra with wavering control. Tamotsu's fingers dug into the brick wall behind him and he struggled to rein in his breaths. But it was no use.

He had no idea where he was. Where Naruto was. Or what was happening-

 _"_ _Konoha-fucking-gakure,"_ something behind the panic-laced fog growled. _"Don't you remember anything, brat? Does the word 'Kyuubi' ring any bells in that incredibly dense head of yours?"_ The same voice said in irritation. The redhead ignored it. He had bigger things to worry about; most importantly his last precious person, the last piece of his clan, was missing. Gone. He'd _failed_ Kushina again.

 _"_ _Oi! Quit it with pity party already! The old coot probably knows where the kid is. Now listen to me, you crossdressing bimbo, and calm the fuck down._ ** _Now!_** _"_ The demand was followed by a burst of pain in his chest. Tamotsu clenched his eyes and mouth shut as he doubled over. Once the pain ebbed away his mind felt clearer.

 _"_ _Welcome back to motherfucking earth, Tamotsu-gaki."_ Seal-san rolled his metaphorical eyes. _"Jeesh, you're a freaking walking zombie, technically immortal, but a little case of anxiety,"_ well it wouldn't be right to label it as 'little' when the man had just had a full-blown panic attack but whatever, _"and you become a sniveling brat. Speaking of sniveling brats let's go get yours."_

Tamotsu blinked and nodded, "H-Hai. Thank you, seal-san." He whispered softly, masking his chakra completely with the seal's help and heading to the Hokage Tower. Talking to the wizened leader and his old friend was probably his best bet. So without further ado, he managed to make it there in one piece while losing his personal pack of hellhounds along the way.

One chakra fueled leap and a graceful front flip through the Third's open widow had him inside the room. Tamotsu shakily stood up from his crouched position and turned to face the Hokage who sat idly behind his desk.

Tamotsu's face was impassive, "Hiruzen-sama," he greeted with a low bow. The only indicator of his nervousness was a slight twitching of his fingers. Hiruzen simply watched him with a calm air.

His personal guard of ANBU was another story altogether.

Several hidden ANBUs immediately jumped out of their places, followed by Tamotsu's previous pursuers who tiredly but firmly held their stance. As one they summoned chakra to their respective techniques in order to deal with the unknown shinobi, er, kunoichi?

But the Third merely motioned for them to stand down. Nothing happened for a few seconds but after a stern look from the Professor they reluctantly cut off the chakra to their jutsus. Squirrel, Bear, and Spider were quick to flank Tamotsu's side just in case things went awry again.

Tamotsu had taken that time to carefully remove the several imbedded weapons sticking out of him.

 _"_ _Hold onto your panties,"_ the seal said. Tamotsu blushed indignantly. _"I got this."_ Hiruzen watched closely as the seal appeared lightly and the various gashes and holes healed shut.

The Sandaime chose that moment to speak up, "You've always been unpredictable, Tamotsu." The tanned elder said in a somewhat fond and exasperated tone.

Tamotsu rubbed at his blushing cheeks.

"Ah, yes, I a-apologize, Hiruzen-sama." He bowed respectfully. "Forgive m-my intrusion, but, ah," the man scratched his cheek, searching for words, "May I ask what happened while I was, um, i-incapacitated?"

" _Incapacitated my ass."_ The voice grumbled. _"You make it sound like we were just playing tag-the-bitch with the Kyuubi and fell and scraped our motherfucking knee."_

Tamotsu felt his cheeks warm at the harsh curse words. He didn't really like swearing. Distasteful and rude in his opinion. He repressed the, now painful, memories of his two teammate's playful bickering. It was still too painful to think about them.

The Hokage went on to tell him the aftermath of the Kyuubi attack, how his precious Kushina-kun had her name added to both memorial stones of both villages, and he apologized for the manner that his first visit to Konoha in sixteen years had gone completely to hell. Before Tamotsu could get in a word about Naruto, Hiruzen, like the sneaky kage he was, casually questioned the man about where he'd been for those discrete sixteen years where everyone thought he was dead.

Tamotsu flinched. Oh, Kami. This was going to sound crazy. It sounded crazy to _him_ and he was the one lived through it.

Hiruzen gestured for the Uzu shinobi to sit. The young man did so and all but fell in the chair when his gown got caught on the armrest.

Hiruzen had to motion again to his ANBU to stand down. The lot looked restless but obeyed if only because the kage looked at ease and in control of the strange situation.

 _"_ _Very smooth."_ The seal mocked. Tamotsu blushed and hurriedly sat down correctly on the chair. The Third merely chuckled at the young ninja's antics and sat behind his desk. His chuckles died down and he took on a serious persona as the privacy seals activated. The ANBU twitched.

Tamotsu swallowed nervously.

"I would like to know, in your own words, how is it that you are here looking not a day older than when you left? The last person who claimed to have seen you was Kushina sixteen years before you vanished to Uzushiogakure."

Tamotsu licked his lips and placed his shaking hands in his lap. Then he told the aging (he still couldn't believe how much the man had aged since the last time he'd seen him) kage _everything_. His trip to Konoha with Kushina, the fight with the bandits, Tsunade's omen, having to leave Kushina behind, the battle and destruction of Uzu, his teammates dying, Baa-chan's sealing, her sacrifice, the eerie dormant state of sleep he'd found himself in, the weird voice- _"HEY! Who you callin' weird, cockmuncher!?"-_ in his head that was the manifestation of his seal's consciousness _,_ Kushina's cries, the orange masked-nin, the Shinigami, Kushina's death, Minato's death, the sealing of the Kyuubi into Naruto, and the final promise he'd made to Kushina. Everything. Right down to the tiniest detail. He probably talked a lot more than he should have but once he got the ball rolling there was no stopping it.

Hiruzen nodded and absorbed the newfound information. From what he gathered the seal that Keiko-sama, or Baa-chan as Tamotsu fondly referred her as, was a preservation jutsu mixed in with some forbidden sealing jutsu that Tamotsu was very tight-lipped about and with good reason. If just one unfinished sealing theory could keep a dead man alive he feared what other secrets the scroll possessed.

Tamotsu took in big gulps of air as he finally finished.

"ANBU," Hiruzen simply addressed. The assembled group tensed preparing for the inevitable order for the capture of the red-haired nin. There was no way that their kage, famed God of Shinobi and student of Nidaime, could possibly believe the ninja's ridiculous tall tale- "What you've heard in this room is to be considered SS-class information. Any recounting of what was spoken here will end in a swift death and all and any records erased."

As if they hadn't existed at all.

The ANBU sweatdropped but let out a collective, "Hai, Hokage-sama!"

Hiruzen turned back to Tamotsu who looked decidedly shocked, his eyes wide and jaw hanging down comically.

What troubled Sarutobi the most was the man's invaluable insight into the Nine-Tail's Attack. Nobody who'd survived the attack really knew much about the incident. Too busy holding back the Kyuubi and fighting off its potent Killing Intent. Plus, the main battle between the bijuu and the Yondaime happened outside the village. By the time he himself and the rest of Konoha's forces reached the battlefield it had been too late. A massive dome of chakra chains had sealed off their entry. The glowing chains were too tightly woven to see inside the barrier. Jutsus proved impotent against the famed chains of the Uzumaki and they were left on the sidelines, useless to intervene.

All investigations into the matter never provided any solid leads. All they had to go on was what was left at the scene and some eyewitness accounts that amounted to a lot of nothing. But now, here was Tamotsu, explaining to him how a masked ninja with a single sharingan eye had effortlessly taken Kushina hostage, ripped her tailed beast out, and then proceeded to control it. Hiruzen filed this information for later pondering.

The heavy burden of this information pressed down on the Third's shoulders. If this was truly Tamotsu and what he said was the truth, it would put the Uchiha in a decidedly sticky situation. If word came out that the mastermind behind the attack was of Uchiha descent, or at least possessed the dōjutsu, all hell would break loose.

"I see," The Third mumbled. He imperceptibly slumped down as he imagined all the paperwork and headaches ahead of him. Hiruzen straightened his back and looked into Tamotsu's eyes. It was so _peculiar._ Tamotsu looked just as he did sixteen years ago when he'd come into his office with a young, disgruntled Kushina.

The two had first met under the Tobirama's reign when he'd walked in on his sensei as the two were having very serious and in-depth conversation about the village's security system and a curious deal revolving around the idea that if Tamotsu convinced his grandmother to upgrade the village's seals then the second Hokage would treat Tamotsu to as much ramen as he could eat. Then his sensei had caught him eavesdropping in a _diplomatic meeting_ of all things. To say he was surprised when he saw a child no older than three sitting across from his stoic sensei was an understatement.

Having Tamotsu in front of him now looking like the twenty-year-old he'd been the last he had seen him made the kage feel considerably less older.

If just for a moment.

"Unfortunately, while I might believe you, Tamotsu, the council will not be as inclined to." Hiruzen grimaced. "I'm afraid we'll have to confirm your testimony with our T&I department as is procedure. Do you object to this?"

Tamotsu shook his head. No, it made sense to him. He could very well be an enemy spy impersonating an ally thought to be deceased. Added with the fact that Kushina had told him they never found his body he was shocked that Hiruzen hadn't just sent him straight to the Torture and Interrogation sector.

Tamotsu dipped his head, "No, I w-will do what is asked of me." But there was something he had to know. "There is something I-I must ask first before w-we proceed."

Hiruzen laced his fingers tighter and placed his chin on them. He had a hunch as to what was about to be asked.

"Go on."

The redhead composed himself as he looked at the Hokage full-on.

"Tell me what happened to Naruto, Hiruzen." The tone was demanding and the absence of the respectful honorific and his chronic stuttering was not lost on the kage. This was personal. There was no room for pleasantries or diplomatic measures.

The old man internally winced. He might not have known the Uzumakis as well as his predecessors, but he knew enough. Even if Tamotsu didn't blatantly show off his Uzumaki genes he was still an Uzumaki at heart. He had a feeling that today would be the day the village would finally witness the true legendary wrath of the Uzumaki.

Kami help them all.

Hiruzen decided to just get it over with. No need to stave off the inevitable.

"After the immediate problems that rose from the Nine-Tail's Attack were dealt with a meeting was called." He sighed resignedly. Tamotsu's body went rigid and he feared the worst. He knew from experience that Konoha's council could be just as merciless as any other despite the peace propaganda they spewed. "The council demanded to know what had become of the Kyuubi and I could not lie. The evidence was right there. I told them that Minato had sealed the tailed beast inside young Naruto. Thus making him Konoha's current jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Yoko." Now, this was the point at which things would become messy.

"In order to give Naruto a chance of having a normal childhood I forbade, labeling it an S-rank secret punishable by death, that nobody but Naruto or I could disclose his status as a jinchuuriki. To further protect him from our," The Hokage cleared his throat, "more _ambitious_ members I also forbade any clan or person from adopting the boy. And until I thought the boy was of age I withheld any information pertaining to his lineage. Only a select few know that Naruto is the legitimate son of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki."

Tamotsu understood all his reasonings but what had this all meant for Naruto? Had he been chucked into some random orphanage, all alone and defenseless, with no one to properly care for him and let him know he was loved? And to top it all off the boy didn't even know who his parents were, who his clan was.

His heart, not the one powered by the seal, but his _heart_ throbbed painfully.

"I presume that Minato-san's final wish for Naruto to be seen as a hero went unacknowledged?" Tamotsu's tone was blank and formal from practice but there was something hot that burned beneath the surface. The lot of ANBU, who'd retreated into the shadows a while ago, stiffened at the minuscule spike in the shinobi's chakra.

Hiruzen took a drag out his pipe and nodded slightly.

Tamotsu forced himself to remain calm at this confirmation. The only indication of his true thoughts and emotions was the slight clenching of his fists and the way his blue eyes darkened, resembling a dark stormy night.

"Am I also right in presuming that _this_ village," he said the word with hardly concealed bitterness, "condemned Naruto to the same fate as Kushina?" The Third Hokage had come to know the clan head's nephew very well from their friendship and diplomatic interactions. Their amiable relationship continued through his student Tsunade. And never once during his adorable ramblings on his treasured youngest cousin had he ever dropped the custom '-kun' honorific.

 _"_ _Brat means business."_ The seal muttered, deeply impressed at how well the Uzumaki was handling things. He had a lengthy history with the clan of fuuinjutsu specialists and had seen all kinds of people, but he'd never met someone quite like his host. Polite and level-headed when any other Uzumaki would have exploded in anger.

Hiruzen's head lowered in what could be perceived as agreement or guilt. Or both.

Tamotsu's presumptions were close to the truth but also entirely wrong. "No, you are mistaken." The Sandaime thought back on his regrets: allowing Orochimaru to go unchecked for so long, having let down Uzu in the war, Tsunade leaving the village, not having been there to prevent his wife's death, choosing his Hokage duties over his own children, and his inability to protect Naruto despite his best efforts. There was much more but it was too much to remember all at once.

"It was worse." If possible the man looked older, his wrinkles more pronounced and his back hunched.

Tamotsu knuckles were white from the pressure he was exerting.

"I see," he did but at this moment he could care less, "how unfortunate, H

Spider instantly had the shinobi in a hold when a drop of Killer Intent leaked out.

"No, it's o-okay," Tamotsu spoke, interrupting the Hokage's command for his ANBU to let him go. "I think m-my appointment is long overdue."

Hiruzen nodded and signaled his ANBU to prepare Tamotsu for transport. Bear slapped a set of chakra repressor cuffs on the redhead's slim wrists. Seeing as how easily the man had gotten rid of the seals they'd used before he thought this was a better option.

Hiruzen nodded at the three ANBU and they disappeared with a neat body flicker.


	18. Obi

**Disclaimer: Only thing I own is my OCs and a lot of emotional baggage.**

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 _"To know what people really think, pay regard to what they do, rather than what they say."_

 _\- René Descartes_

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Chapter 18: Obi

Inoichi watched the red-haired ninja wiggle nervously on the steel chair. The seat stayed in place, having been bolted to the floor a long time ago during the Shidaime's reign when someone had used it to knock out his grandfather; they then proceeded to demand the resignation of the First Hokage and a stick of dango. _Yeah._ After that particular, ahem, _incident_ they'd nailed and bolted everything to the floor. Like _everything._

Knowing that the other ninja wasn't an immediate threat (there would be no chair whacking today), Iniochi began to study his charge. Better to know what one was going up against than to charge in headfirst unlike _some_ ninjas _._

Inoichi watched with amusement as the Uzumaki sneezed, startling himself and nearly falling off the chair.

The blonde considered himself very good at reading people. He wouldn't be the head of the Torture and Interrogation division if he wasn't good at his job. Unlike how others thought, the position wasn't given to him because he was his father's son. It was _earned_ through blood, sweat, and tears. He'd trained and worked damned hard to get where he is now, so yeah, he was the best they had. Therefore, being the expert he was, there were very few that could hide anything from him. Most people never realized that with just one gesture they'd just told him their whole life story. Every glance, twitch, and micro-expression could very well tell the past, the present, and the future if observed and interpreted correctly.

Inoichi had no doubts the Uzumaki would be able to hide much of anything, much less his mind; Tamotsu was an open book to him. Only a matter of time till he flipped through all the pages.

The Yamanaka, along with the Third Hokage and three tense ANBUs, observed the redhead behind the large two-way mirror.

The Hokage remained silent, knowing how important it was for any interrogator to get a proper read on their subject. So he stood patiently and allowed the veteran shinobi the time he needed.

Inoichi zeroed in on Tamotsu, cataloging and filing everything he saw for future use. The first thing he noticed was how very thin and pale the other man was, a clear sign of malnutrition and testament to the fact that he hadn't seen the light of day for more than two decades. A few premature white strands in his hair were clear telltales of the stress he'd undergone. His chalky complexion was a stark background to the dark bags under his eyes and the peculiar whisker-like marks on his cheeks. Those were of great interest to Inoichi and supported the notion Tamotsu had been present during the time of the Kyuubi attack as the Kyuubi's chakra had affected many ninjas in a similar manner. Sadly, none of them had survived the tailed beast's poisonous chakra.

Inoichi looked down at the letter written by the deceased Uzumaki clan head in hand. It was addressed to the Hokage mere days before Uzu's destruction. According to the elegant script, Tamotsu had been on a very high profile infiltration and intelligence mission that had lasted a total of six years. His team, consisting of two more Uzumakis, had caught wind that Iwa had sent a whole platoon of their best and brightest to the north of Uzushiogakure's borders. They'd planned on pushing the village's last resources into battle. The team had hightailed it back home to inform the clan head. Unbeknownst to Tamotsu's team the Mist village had already invaded the village from within and were waiting for a distraction. One that came in the form of not just Iwa but also the other great hidden village's combined forces. So while Konoha was busy hashing it out at the frontlines the other four hidden villages had coordinated an attack to exterminate the small country. But it seemed they'd underestimated Uzu and her people. It was because of their sacrifice that Konoha had been able to win the Second Shinobi War.

The history books, on the other hand, told a different story- the Uzumaki clan was hardly mentioned due to _political complications_ or some other fancy-smancy bullshit.

Inoichi tucked the letter inside a folder labeled 'Uzumaki Tamotsu' and pulled out a small stack of stapled papers. These held more personal information about the shinobi in question. Mostly details that only someone of higher standing or the people who had known Tamotsu personally would know about him. And the man himself of course. Inclosed was a photo before Tamotsu had gone MIA. Inoichi had already seen it dozens of times over the last few hours, but something about unsettled him.

He took out the picture and looked at it closer. There was nothing wrong with the photo in itself. The man was healthier looking with rosy cheeks and a happy smile. It was a nice picture taken with the Shidaime's grandchildren that had been found among Tsunade's possessions that the sannin had let behind. Nawaki, he vaguely remembered the kid from his academy days, was standing quite happily in between Tamotsu and a laughing Tsunade. The three were holding hands with their arms extended upwards in front of the Senju compound.

But it wasn't the people that caught his attention. Not really anyways. It was Tamotsu's clothes. That's what was bothering. He was wearing a short black and pink kimono with a large obi poking out from the back. No, it wasn't the fact that the man was wearing feminine clothes that stuck out to him (he'd seen weirder) it was that damned _bow._ The large obi tugged at Inoichi's mind, teasing at something buried in old memories, but he couldn't for life of him remember what or why.

The blue-eyed shinobi grimaced. Great, another reminder that he wasn't getting any younger. And with a daughter like Ino, he was surprised his hair wasn't grey already.

Oh well. Time to get this over with. Inoichi closed the folders with a soft snap, nodded respectfully towards the Hokage, and entered the room.

Tamotsu immediately looked up at the sudden intrusion. Inoichi almost faltered. His eyes were almost an identical match own. Yes, he'd seen them in the photos but to see them this close was...well, it was disconcerting. To see the blue, pupil-less eyes that his clan was known for on someone other than his kin was _wrong_. Not that he would ever let his discomfort show as he took a seat across from the nin.

"Hello, Tamotsu-san," he greeted amiably and subtly took note of Tamotsu's body language. The man's twittering fingers stilled and he almost seemed to...relax? But it wasn't that he was overconfident, no, his mannerisms were all wrong for that. No, it's like he was sitting with someone he knew, someone he _trusted._ Inoichi was used to seeing anger, fear, and even awe in his presence. He'd never seen someone relax so easily when faced with their interrogator.

This reaction went completely against the information he'd gathered on the jonin. If he was who he said he was and not some genjutsu wielding spy (although this would have to be the mother of all genjutsus) then he was sitting in front a highly skilled A-class jonin straight out of the frontlines of 2nd Shinobi War and the Kyuubi Attack. It was only logical that the ninja in front of him would still be on high alert, instincts and paranoia having not dissipated yet.

Despite that, Tamotsu was reacting positively towards his presence; His body was fully turned to him, his shoulders were loose, and his gaze was neither avoidant or aggressive.

"Hello, Yamanaka-san," Tamotsu replied in turn, voice shaky yet calm. How did he know- oh right the eyes. His eyes were always a dead give away just like the Uzumaki's bright red hair or Nara's laidback stance.

But there was something curious about his greeting, a telltale sign into his mind. From Tamotsu's files, he knew the man to be extremely polite and always deferred people with the proper honorific. Although his unique system of naming his close friend's and family with the opposite honorific was to be excluded in this. It was a rather interesting case of linguistics and his psychological upbringing, but Inoichi wasn't here for that.

He was here to determine whether this man required a more _extensive_ stay in T&I.

Touching upon the point he made earlier when the jonin had called him 'san', this was an indicator he was in the village in the time before he took his place as clan head and when his father was still in charge. This coincided nicely with Tamotsu's story and it's timeline. For all Tamotsu knew Inochi could simply be one of the many Yamanakas who worked in T&I. Or he was dealing with an especially talented and polite spy.

"I was informed you came here willingly so I trust you know why you're here. So we'll begin now if that is alright with you?" A friendly approach to this would go a long way Inoichi had deduced. The man definitely showed signs of some type an undiagnosed anxiety disorder that might have something to do with his constant stuttering, but he could have inherited that bit. A stronger, more offensive approach might set off a panic attack or he might just shut down completely. The Hokage was specifically adamant he avoid any and all of those scenarios.

He very much liked his job, thank you very much. No way was he losing his position just because he'd pushed too much. He wasn't some low-rank rookie to be making such mistakes.

Tamotsu nodded his head and then hesitated as if he wanted to say something. This peaked Inoichi's curiosity.

"Is there something like you'd like to say, Tamotsu-san?" He prompted.

"Ah y-yes," the Uzu ninja stuttered, "Pardon me but are you by any chance related to Yamanaka-sama? You look very much like h-him. I don't recall him having any brothers. Are you a cousin of his? How is Yamanaka-sama? And his family?" Tamotsu asked, his speech picking up speed with eagerness.

Inoichi blinked, schooling his features. Well, that proved his earlier assessment correct. Tamotsu had no idea his father wasn't in power anymore and had retired.

Tamotsu's eyes suddenly widened and he frantically waved his cuffed hands defensively. "Oh my! I'm s-s-sorry! I know t-t-this is an interrogation and you're supposed to b-be asking _m-me_ the questions and n-not the other way a-around and I just f-forgot and-"

Inoichi cut him off before the poor man passed out, "It's quite alright." He placed his closed hands atop the folders on the table and smiled lightly. "And if you're referencing the previous Yamanaka head then yes we're related. I'm his son, Inoichi Yamanaka."

Tamotsu eyes widened, "P-P-Previous? What happened to Inoja-ojisama!?"

Inoichi stilled at the honorific. His eyes again trailed to the other's frantic ones.

Then it came to him. _That damned bow!_ The blonde mentally cursed the Hokage. Sly old man, that Hokage. Seems he wasn't as senile as he made others believe.

"Don't worry. I assure you my father is fine." He placated. "Just retired is all." Probably spoiling his daughter rotten as they spoke. Inoichi mentally scowled. It'd taken hours to get Ino down from her last sugar high courtesy of her grandfather's generous wallet and a nearby candy store.

Instead of calming down Tamotsu sat up straighter and seemed to see the Yamanaka in a whole new light.

"Oh!" Tamotsu gushed, color returning his cheeks in a pleased blush. "That must mean you are Inoichi-chan, 'ttebaru!" Inoichi lost his composure for the first time in years and his eyes widened. Yes, he'd come to supposition he might have known Tamotsu in his childhood as the other might have some kind of familial relation to his clan, but for the shinobi to refer to him as 'Inoichi-chan' was startling because not only did this mean that they knew each other on some level it also meant that whatever connection they shared was intimate enough for Tamotsu to call him _that._ It's been decade since someone last called him _'-chan'._

Tamotsu continued like nothing was amiss, "I knew you looked familiar. You look just like h-him." He tilted his head and observed Inoichi's expression before he could hide it once again. Damn. "Oh. D-D-Don't you recognize me?"

Inoichi gritted his teeth, "No, I'm afraid I don't, but can you tell me how you knew my father, and in turn, myself?"

Tamotsu seemed to deflate, the disappointed look settling deeply onto his face.

Inoichi almost felt bad. Almost.

"Oh, that's quite alright. I-I apologize. I can't blame you. You were quite y-young at the time." Inoichi waited for the man to gather himself. "Coming from the m-main f-family I had many important duties and expectations. Alth-though I didn't m-meet most of them I showed exceptional promise in my diplomatic s-studies." Inoichi nodded, analyzing the information being shared. "I was chosen as my clan's diplomat to represent my village and the Uzumaki clan. As s-such I was expected to attend meetings when it pertained to anything related to m-my village. That is around the time I first met Inoja-ojisama."

Inoichi nodded slowly, "Yes, I'm aware of your previous status as Uzu's formal diplomat and knowing my father through the council meetings could explain how you also know about me but it fails to explain your apparent familiar connection with my family."

Tamotsu blushed prettily. Inoichi cursed his thoughts. Prettily? He was a married _straight_ man for Kami's sake! But still, there was something pleasant about Tamotsu and how all his features came together. His daughter would have squealed with glee if she were here.

"S-Sorry, I-I didn't mean to exclude information." Inoichi nodded. He'd known the twenty-year-old wasn't lying or purposely hiding anything. From what he could tell his steady breathing and the continued eye contact showed he was being honest. That or he was a very good liar. But good wasn't enough to fool him.

"But um, you s-see, what was it that Baa-chan said again?" the last part was mumbled as the man tried to find a reasonable excuse. Inoichi's gaze sharpened and he studied the man even closer now.

"Um arranged marriages have always been commonplace with nobility, p-particularly within clan customs. My great-grandmother, on m-my mother's side, Inouya Yamanaka was chosen to be the be my clan heir's, Ashino Uzumaki, bride. They then had three children: Mito, Ashiro, and Keiko Uzumaki. Keiko was my grandmother," Tamotsu said quietly. Inoichi recognized Inouya's name, but again he couldn't recall why. Although there was one name he did know for certain- Mito Uzumaki, a Uzumaki fuuinjutsu master, revered Red Queen of Konoha, and wife to the first Hokage. Inoichi shot a look towards where he knew the Third was watching.

Tamotsu continued, "This w-was done to further cement our ties and gain your clan's loyalty. When my m-mother still lived she would accompany me to Konoha and your father would invite my family over on s-special occasions. After her d-d-death, your father made a habit of always inviting me to d-dinner."

Inoichi felt his mind reel. That nosy, manipulative old geezer just what was he thinking sending him down here? This wasn't in the file at all! None of it was!

At least that explained why Tamotsu had his clan's eyes and why the obi was so familiar to him. He knew the man to be prone to crossdressing, if the file and pictures were anything to go by, and Tamotsu had probably worn similar, if more formal kimono's, to said dinners. It wasn't uncommon for such details to remain as markers in old memories.

"I understand now. Thank you." Inoichi said politely. "How long did you serve as Uzu's diplomatic envoy?"

Tamotsu straightened sensing a shift in the atmosphere. Seems like the real interrogation had begun.

"E-Eleven years."

Inoichi nodded and opened a separate folder, marking a spot.

"When did you first reach the rank of genin?"

"I w-was twelve."

"Chuunin?"

"Thirteen."

Inoichi nodded and made another mark, "Very impressive. When did you participate in the jounin exams?"

Tamotsu frowned, "I didn't. I was p-promoted on the battlefield at fourteen."

Another mark.

"What village are you from?"

"U-Uzushiogakure." His voice wavered but remained level. Inoichi had to swallow down this newfound guilt. He was beginning to dredge up information the man would rather forget, but it would only get harder.

"What was your personal nickname for your grandmother?"

"Baa-kun but she never let me call her that so I called her Baa-chan."

Another mark.

"Your mother and father's names?"

"Tamaki and Nanako Uzumaki."

Inoichi wryly noted the first three letters of Tamotsu's mother's name also matched her son's, as was the custom within the main family of the Yamanaka clan.

"Your grandfather's name?" He asked, curious if the pattern extended that far.

"Tamoko Uzumaki."

Indeed, it seemed the trait did carry on. Inoichi made a mental side note to touch up on his clan's family tree.

"Your relation to Tsunade and Nawaki Senju?"

"My younger cousins on my m-mother's side."

"The name's of your genin team?"

Tamotsu swallowed, "N-Natsuki Uzumaki and Hoshimi Uzumaki."

"The name of your jounin sensei?"

"Uzushiogakure doesn't, um, d-didn't assign jounin senseis."

"Can you explain why?"

Tamotsu nodded, " Yes, Uzu is, was," the correcting from present tense to past tense did not go unnoticed, "very small. We only had around a hundred and thirty active s-shinobi and kunoichi at any given time. fifty or so of those ninjas were non-clan affiliated shinobi and rest were made up by the Uzumaki clan. Our smaller n-numbers didn't m-mean we were weak," Tamotsu frowned and continued adamantly, "We might have had a small army compared to the other five hidden villages, but what Uzu didn't have in n-numbers we m-made up with quality. Not counting the genin, we were all ranked A, B, or S-class shinobi. The village couldn't afford to use up any jounin s-so all genin were put into something called a Genin Pool, where any available chuunin or jounin retired or not were put in charge of training us. This produced well-rounded shinobi and taught us teamwork as we had to get along with not only our t-teams but other teams as well as different senseis too. But um in c-case of an e-emergency we did have an assigned sensei."

"What was this sensei's name?"

Tamotsu looked away, recalling the kind face of his sensei. She wasn't of Uzumaki blood, but that hadn't meant she wasn't family to him and his team. She'd died early on in the war. It had been only a sneak peek as to what was to follow.

"Emiko Akiyama. She was a chuunin e-entrusted with our team."

Inoichi hummed and made a mark. That was actually a very efficient way to deal with such a small number of shinobi. He hadn't known the Uzumaki had been so resourceful if what Tamotsu said was true.

"What is your favorite food?"

Tamotsu brightened, "Ramen." The blonde hid a smirk behind the papers as he shuffled them

"Where did you live/"

"The um m-main family compound."

"What are your plans for the Leaf village?"

Tamotsu frowned in confusion, "Plans?

Inoichi nodded, "Yes, are your intentions, if any, good or bad? Do they benefit yourself or some other party?"

Tamotsu shrugged sheepishly, "I-I honestly haven't thought about that." Inoichi was about to write down his assessment of Tamotsu's reply when the effeminate man moved. He brought his hand up and closed it under his chin, his nose wrinkling in thought. "Konoha is the Senju clan's home. And our clan's are very close. As s-such my family holds the Leaf village very dear. When Kushina-kun had no home or family to call her own it was Konoha that took her in. Since the Leaf village is precious to m-my loved ones then you could say it is also p-precious to me." Tamotsu nodded, seemingly satisfied with his response.

Inoichi put down his pencil and tidied up the files, mulling over what Tamotsu had revealed to him the past half hour.

"Thank you for you cooperation, Tamotsu-san." He stood up and walked slowly over the young man as not to startle him. The redhead watched his approach nervously and flinched when the Yamanaka raised his hand. Seems his presence hadn't quite snuffed all his instincts.

Inoichi spoke calmly, "Now, while everything you've said up till this point has been both accurate and truthful there is still one more test that needs to be done."

Tamotsu looked up from under his eyelashes, "Will you be going through m-my m-mind, Yamanaka-sama?"

"Yes," Inoichi replied, feeling not as surprised as he should have that Tamotsu knew of his clan's techniques. It wasn't exactly such a well-kept secret. "But don't worry. I already spoke with Hokage-sama and I won't go anywhere in your mind unless necessary, okay?"

Tamotsu bit his lip. He was familiar with the clan's techniques and knew they could be particularly painful if the subject was uncooperative. He had no intention of ripping apart his mind and becoming a vegetable just because he was self-conscious.

 _"Seal-san?"_ He called out. The being had been uncharacteristically silent since he first entered the Torture and Interrogation headquarter.

A groggy voice answered, _"Wha..? What do ya wan'?"_

 _"A Yamanaka will be entering my, um, our mind. Will y-you be okay?"_ Tamotsu asked with concern.

Seal-san growled, _"You woke me up to tell me that? Have you any idea the shit I've been through trying to keep your bitch-ass from becoming tree fertilizer?"_

Tamotsu winced internally, " _S-Sorry. I was just w-w-worred and the uh you-_

Seal-san interrupted him with a snort, " _What do you think I'm made out of? Pen ink? I can take care of myself. Besides this is for your blonde inkling. Just keep the mind-fucker out of my face and let me sleep lest I make you regret it."_

"Okay." Tamotsu took in a deep breath and faced the blonde head-on. This was for Naruto. "Thank you, Yamanaka-sama. I am ready to begin when you are."

Inoichi inwardly sighed. This was good. He feared any forced entry into the redhead's mind would break him. Since he was willing this was going to go a lot smoother. From what he garnered about the Hokage's lenient attitude towards the younger male, Inoichi had a feeling he wouldn't live to see tomorrow if he so much as scratched Tamotsu's mind.

The blue-eyed shinobi placed his hand on the other's head.

Two ANBUs fell gracefully from the ceiling. Sparrow positioned himself behind an anxious Tamotsu, holding his shoulders while Bear placed his hand on the Yamanaka clan head's shoulder; the two elite ninjas prepared to catch the pair once they lost consciousness.

Inoichi gave the young ninja a small smile. After a moment Tamotsu returned it, his lips twitching.

Inoichi took in a few slow, deep breaths. More for the quivering man than for himself. Tamotsu unknowingly followed suit. His fingers loosened their grip on his hospital gown and he no longer looked like he was going to have a heart attack.

"Look right into my eyes," Inoichi ordered, "Try not to fight it." Tamotsu did as he was told and felt a unusual sensation run over him as he was swept into his own mind.

Hiruzen watched from behind the window as his ANBU caught the now limp bodies of Inoichi Yamanaka and Tamotsu Uzumaki.


	19. The Void

**Disclaimer: Only thing I own is my OCs and a lot of emotional baggage.**

 **A/N: YOOOO! Do you what time it is!? Huh? Let me tell you: It's suMMER! Whoo!**

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 _"Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering."_

 _― George Lucas_

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Chapter 19: The Void

Inoichi stood up from the comfortable armchair he found himself and looked around. Everything around him was pitch dark except for the small area where he stood. The darkness was spread throughout Tamotsu's mindscape, stopping just a few feet in front of the blonde. Inoichi frowned. This type of layout usually meant that whoever the mindscape belonged to had a lot he didn't want to think about, pushing down their memories and emotions into the void in hopes they'd just disappear. They never really went away, though. They had a way of seeping their way back into the light.

Inoichi took a step forward, the grass soft and fresh beneath his feet. There were a few dark patches where the grass had died away, but his keen eyes could make out the new life struggling to grow. Tamotsu, like any shinobi, had his fair share of scars, but he would heal.

The veteran shinobi walked forward, the void scurrying away from him and revealing more space as he walked. His surroundings began to twist and warp around him with every step he took. Walls coved in bookshelves materialized around him. The Yamanaka surveyed the new scenery. He appeared to be in some type of study. There was large desk taking up most of the room's space. It littered with scrolls, half empty ink bottles, brushes, and picture frames.

The lighting was low but the various candles here and there offered a warmth that had been absent before. Inoichi approached the desk, ignoring the walls lined with what appeared to be scrolls and books. This was most likely where Tamotsu's mind stored away his memories, each parchment containing a unique memory.

The Yamanaka looked at the desk and the few unfurled scrolls laid out before him. It wasn't surprising to see that the documents held his recent memories. The one dealing his run-in with ANBU earlier this morning was written in a messy scrawl, the words jumbled and lacking order. Inoichi looked over at another file and smiled at the shaky yet flowing script that detailed their interrogation session. The man noticed a few picture frames erected around the desk in random spots. He picked the nearest one up.

The picture was natural, probably a mental snapshot, of a small aged woman. She had an exasperated expression on her face, but her eyes, the same as his clan's so it must be this Keiko Tamotsu spoke of, were kind and held a weight to them that could only be earned with age. Inoichi leaned over and glimpsed at the other photos. A blushing boy who must have been Nawaki was sitting at a table with Tsunade. The girl wore a large grin and her right hand was splayed dramatically over a pile of cards as a building fell to the ground in the background. Another photo held what looked to be Tamotsu's teammates snoozing on a couch with a brown-haired kunoichi looking at the two with a mischievous expression whilst holding a bucket of water. There were many more photos. Most of them were of people whom he assumed to be the redhead's clansmen, the frames bent and dusty. As Inoichi looked them over with a careful eye he came to realize that these were all the people Tamotsu considered to be important to him. The pictures of those that were deceased all had damaged frames and those who Tamotsu believed to be living had bright colorful frames.

"Father?" He mumbled in disbelief. In a baby blue frame was a photo of his father, much younger and smiling privately at the 'camera'.

"Hello, Inoichi-chan!" A high pitched voice called out suddenly.

The photo fell from the man's hands, but Inoichi was quick to catch it. He looked up to see a small child sitting on a large leather chair (that hadn't been there) behind the desk. A beautiful window had materialized behind it, showing a peaceful lake below. Small waves splashed around playfully.

"Whoops," the small boy giggled sheepishly, "I didn't m-mean to scare you. Sorry."

Inoichi placed the photo back on the desk and cleared his throat. Tamotsu hadn't scared him. He'd just been surprised, is all. Yeah. That.

Yeah. That. Totally.

"Uh no, you didn't frighten me." He looked into the child's pale blue eyes. "You have a nice mindscape, Tamotsu-san. It's considerably well-developed. Do you spend much time in here?"

Tamotsu nodded, "Yes, all Uzumakis are taught meditation. It's not m-mandatory for everyone though, but you have to go through with it if you want to learn m-more advanced fuuinjutsu."

Inoichi hummed thoughtfully, looking around appreciatively. That made sense. Most people's minds had only one memory cache but Tamotsu's was more complex than the average mind from what'd he'd seen so far. He glanced at the child swaying from side to side on the swivel chair. The child wasn't really Tamotsu, just a projection of himself. Inoichi studied him more closely, trying to sense any masks that could be hiding his True Self. The True Self was something his clan used to describe a person's, well, true self. Most people bore many facades and are unconsciously piling layers upon layers of false personalities on top of their True Self. The True Self was a person's real identity and was only present in the mind. Some skilled ninjas were able to hide their True Self under their real-world fake alters and it worked to fool those less skilled.

Inoichi was no ordinary ninja, however, and after analyzing the kid he had determined this was Tamotsu's True Self.

Inoichi walked over to the shelves.

"Do you mind if I look?" He didn't need Tamotsu's permission but his jutsu would work more efficiently without any bumps in the road. Little Tamotsu shook his head and gave a thumbs up. Inoichi carefully looked through the various memories, sifting through them for any tampering or mind seals.

Four hours had passed by the time Inoichi had finished with the last shelf. Tamotsu had watched sleepily as Inoichi poured through his every book. A majority of the shelves were Tamotsu's general knowledge and shinobi related subjects. The rest were his personal memories, good ones with a sprinkling of bad ones. Inoichi put away the last scroll. He frowned and looked around for any hidden doors or compartments. Something was...off. Like there was...something...

Inoichi's eyes widened with realization.

Like there was something _missing_.

While there were unpleasant memories within the collection none of them were serious. Things just weren't adding up. Tamotsu was A-class shinobi labeled in the Bingo Book. There was no way a ninja snagged a spot on the coveted book without dirtying their hands. Yet there was nothing. Where were the memories of those he'd killed? The missions that left a bad taste in your mouth and hole in your chest for years. Most importantly. Where the books or scrolls of the war? Of the Kyuuubi Attack?

Inoichi turned to the small child, "Tamotsu-san?"

The boy perked up. "Yes, Inoichi-chan?"

The Yamanaka had gotten used to the honorific and just ignored it. "Is this the only place you store memories?"

The kid seemed to fight with himself for a moment. It was very difficult to lie in one's mindscape.

"No." The water outside stirred.

The water outside stirred.

Inoichi narrowed his eyes, "Show me." Tamotsu shrunk back in the chair. Dark clouds gathered outside. The battle-hardened ninja tensed. So far everything had gone without a hitch, but when did anything good ever last in his line of work? He needed to see those memories.

He smiled kindly, trying to win over the Uzumaki. He needed to show Tamotsu he wasn't a threat- needed to gain his trust if he wanted to go any further without having to resort to brute force.

"Why don't you want to show me?"

Tamotsu tucked his face into his knees, his wide eyes peering up at him through the crack.

"I d-d-don't like it there it's s-scary. It's bad there. Very b-bad."

Inoichi glanced outside. The clouds were turning grey but no less calm than before. But that illusion could easily shatter the minute Tamotsu felt threatened. And that's when all hell would break loose. He'd have no choice but to subdue Tamotus's True Self and forcibly break through his barriers to find what he kept so hidden.

Inoichi walked over and held out his hand. Children could be very impressionable. All he had to do was play his cards right.

"Why don't we go together, Tamotsu-chan?" The water outside quivered. Inoichi summoned a picture of his lovely daughter and his smile became more genuine. "I'll protect you. I promise. I won't let anything there hurt you." Well, there wasn't much he could do if the memories proved too powerful and Tamotsu forced him out. All he could do was make sure his mind didn't completely collapse on itself.

"You p-promise?" Tamotsu asked, his legs lowering.

Inoichi let the lie flow easily out of his mouth, "Of course. I promise."

Tamotsu was quiet before he smiled and took the offered hand cautiously.

"O-Okay. I'll take you." The grey faded away from the clouds and waves had stopped churning. Inoichi took that as a good sign and allowed the little redhead to guide him. They walked back to the field and the armchair where Inoichi had originally arrived. Tamotsu led them past that and through a field of flower pods. The buds had yet to open, but the Yamanaka found himself hoping that one day they would.

They walked for a few more minutes in easy silence. Then Tamotsu's hold on his hand began to tighten and his own palm grew moist from the boy's profuse sweating. The shadows stopped moving until they stood on just the edge of them. The grass beneath their feet was brown and crisp. It made no sound.

Inoichi made to walk forward only to have his companion tug back on his hand, stopping his advancement.

"Tamotsu-san, you have to let me go." The boy bit his lip and shook his head. Waves crashed audibly in the distance. Inoichi visibly frowned. "Why don't you want me to go?"

Tamotsu fidgeted before looking into the abyss. His eyes zeroed in as if he'd spotted something. Inoichi followed his eye line but saw nothing but black. He was about to take his hand forcefully from the other, he was beginning to feel tired of just beating around the bush when the red-haired ninja spoke up quietly.

"I don't think he wants us in there."

Inoichi blinked. This was an interesting development.

"Who doesn't want us in there?" He asked, thinking of possibilities. Could it be an intruder was hiding in the man's subconscious? Or maybe a spirit or demon was possessing the Uzumaki? Some mind traps perhaps? Or an alter ego?

Tamotsu broke through his musings with his soft voice.

"His name is seal-san or t-that's what I c-call him." Tamotsu pinked and loosened his grip on the other man's hand. "He's napping right now. He said we shouldn't w-wake him."

That certainly piqued his interest. Apparently, the two were able to communicate through their shared mindscape. 'Seal-san'? Maybe it _was_ a seal or just a faux identity an enemy nin was calling themselves, playing to the Uzumaki's love for fuuinjutsu. Or maybe it was a dormant security system to ward them away from this particular area? Tamotsu clearly didn't want to be here. This made him all the more curious as to why.

Inoichi gave him a placating smile, hoping to pacify the other's anxiety. Tamotsu's True Self was a child and most children responded favorably to positive gestures. He crouched down so they at eye level. Less intimidating. Got to establish trust. A bond. Patience. Convince him.

"I'm sure he won't mind if we just take a quick look, hm?"

Tamotsu seemed to consider it but shook his head and took a step back.

"I don't think that's a g-g-good idea."

Inoichi tried again, "I'm a shinobi remember, Tamotsu-chan? I can be _very_ quiet. That way we don't disturb seal-san."

The boy bit his lip. His body language showed he was indecisive, eyes looking right and left. He wasn't budging. Inoichi frowned. He couldn't hold the jutsu for much longer. His clan's mind transfer jutsu took a lot of chakra to power and they'd already been here for quite some time.

"Are you afraid of seal-san?" Inoichi asked. "I promised you I would protect you, remember?"

Seal-san was starting to sound more and more suspicious as Tamotsu's reluctance persisted.

Tamotsu blinked and the distant rumble of water on rocks quieted.

"No, I'm not afraid of Seal-san. Seal-san is," the redhead frowned thinking of the right words to use, "a friend. He just gets k-kind of cranky sometimes."

"I resent that." A voice from the darkness spoke out. Inoichi felt the hairs on the back of his neck stands on end. His eyes searched the blackness for the speaker but he could see nothing.

Tamotsu smiled nervously and tugged on his bangs.

"S-Sorry, seal-san."

A growl from the black void had Inoichi tensing up, putting himself in front of Tamotsu protectively.

"I told you not to fucking wake me up, but I figured blondie here would get curious. So here I am."

"Who are you?" Inoichi ordered lowly. The voice chuckled, the sound echoing around them.

"I'm guessing the old man didn't tell you." Seal-san snorted. "Guess that's for the best. Wouldn't want anyone to know that that crazy Uzumaki witch basically created the seal for immortality."

Inoichi's eyes widened. He knew from Tamotsu's medical reports that the man should have been dead. Dozens of times. Especially when his chest cavity had been ripped open and he'd fallen into a chakra coma. If what seal-san said was true then whatever secrets Tamotsu held had the potential to attract some very _very_ dangerous people. But that didn't explain who seal-san was unless…

"Are you...?" Inoichi faltered. This was ridiculous. Of course not. There was no way someone had-

"If you're asking if I'm the seal then yes, yes I motherfucking am."

"Seal-san!" Tamotsu scolded. "W-Watch your language in front of Inoichi-chan."

The Yamanaka stilled. How…it was _unheard_ of…there existed no record, no testimony, no nothing of an inanimate object manifesting its own thoughts much less a whole consciousness. And to add more to this abnormality the being even had its own, separate personality and not just a reflection of its host's.

It was extraordinary. Never had a member of his clan, much less himself, encountered such an oddity of the mind.

He had to go see this seal-san for himself.

Inoichi pulled his hand free from Tamotsu's slackened hold and took one step into the darkness.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Seal-san suddenly growled, its voice low and warning, "Go back **now.** " Inoichi's fingers twitched towards his weapon pouch. Weapons were useless here. After all, nothing here was really _real_. He couldn't die here.

"Inoichi-chan p-p-please don't go in th-there! I d-don't, um, it's not s-safe," The redhead reached forward, his fingers outstretched to grab the man's long coat, "Please s-s-stop you said you weren't g-going t-t-to go anywhere you didn't n-need to."

"Listen here you wet sock if you come any closer I'm going to personally rip off your balls and shove them right down your throat. You hear me, dickwad?!" The seal yelled, sounding angry, but there was something beyond the anger. In the way his tone wavered just at the end, the insults having no real bite.

"P-Please come b-back it's dangerous! I don't want you to see-"

"Listen to the brat, blondie, jeesh have you no class?"

Inoichi ignored both Tamotsu and Seal-san. He reached out and touched the black matter, his hand disappearing from view completely. Something like thunder boomed in the distance with an accompanying cacophony of glass shattering.

"-chan, I'm b-b-begging you stop-"

"-get the fuck back now or so help me I'm gonna-"

Inoichi paid no mind to the two voices and stepped completely into the void. Tamotsu's desperate cries and the sound of thunder cracking in the distance were instantly cut off.

There was only silence.

"Inoichi-chan!" The boy yelled, his small hand brushing against the shadows. He wanted more than nothing to chase after the man and pull him back into the safety of the light, but he couldn't. He just couldn't. Something was just terribly wrong, a debilitating feeling of terror and nausea kept him from going any further. Inoichi was on his own.

Tamotsu grits his teeth and tried again, the tips of his finger barely making contact with the darkness. The boy immediately bent forward with a strangled gasp. It felt like something between getting punched by Tsunade and eating something truly vile. Tamotsu fell to his knees, making a splash, and dry-heaved.

His eyes burned with unshed tears and he lifted his head staring ahead into the nothingness.

"I'm s-s-so sorry."

(insert cool page break, yeah)

Inoichi stood stock still, eyes wide and staring ahead.

A thing, what he presumed to be seal-san, stood five feet in front of him at the bottom of a hill. It was humanoid in shape, but any distinctive features it might have possessed was indistinguishable by the crimson liquid making up its body. The only thing visible on its person was a set of onyx orbs, glaring at him.

But it was not seal-san that held Inoichi's attention. No, it was the world that lay beyond him that had captured his attention. He'd never seen anything so so _horrifying_ in all his years as a shinobi. Not even during the wars. The Yamanaka stubbornly pushed back the bile rising up at the back of his throat.

Mangled, bloodied bodies littered the field as far as he could see. There were too many. So much so that they had formed a type of macabre monument. Commemorating death and torture in all its ghastly glory. The pile of corpses seemed endless, extending up into the hazy sky above them.

Some of the corpses had their innards spilling out, staining the air with the wretched stink of decomposing flesh. There were others who's dead bodies were burnt beyond recognition, their mouths gaping open in an eternal agonized scream. Some simply laid there- their blank expressions open and accusing.

 _"It's all your fault,"_ They seemed to chant. _"You let this happen, you did this to us. YouyouyouyouyouYOUYOUYOU!"_

The sky was an angry blood red. Smoke invaded the air as buildings burned in the background. Inoichi was sickened to note that a majority of the corpses were that of children.

Inoichi gagged and stumbled backward a little as the stench became too much.

A hole opened up where the thing's mouth should be.

"Sickening isn't it?" Blood dripped from its mouth, resembling sharpened teeth. "What humans do to each other out of fear."

Inoichi choked, his lungs clamoring for fresh air. It was so hard to breathe in here. He turned to flee but was stopped by a wall of black. The shinobi slammed his fists against it. Nothing. Inoichi took in a shaky breath and expelled his chakra to cut off the jutsu. Nothing He was trapped in here. In Tamotsu's deepest subconscious. A place where he hid all his darkest thoughts and secrets.

Inoichi took in a shaky breath and expelled his chakra to cut off the jutsu. Nothing. The blonde tried again. And again and again, even adding in the handsigns something he hadn't done in years.

Seal-san hummed in amusement as Inoichi tried for the last time. No, this couldn't be happening. This had never happened to him before. He couldn't remember this ever occurring to _anybody._ Oh Kami, he was trapped in here- in the deepest part of Tamotsu's subconscious. A place full of the man's darkest thoughts and secrets. Somewhere even his True Self had never ventured, having the common sense to stay far away. Something he should have done.

Seal-san cackled gleefully. The man _had_ wanted to see Tamotsu's mind, after all. He'd show the mind walker just what laid here. Every nasty nook and cranny. He stretched a limb forward, the appendage stretching fast with a squelch and wrapping around the blonde before he could think to move. He pulled him close and relished in the other's terror. He'd warned him. Him and Tamotsu. Whatever happened next was purely the other's fault.

His tenor voice smoothed over Inoichi's muffled yells, "Hasn't anyone ever told you to mind your own fucking business?" He smiled cruelly and leaned over the shinobi's pale face. A few drops of blood landed on his face. "Don't tell them I didn't warn you. Told the brat not to make me regret it." Seal-san chuckled and began the uphill ascend. This was going to be so much **_fun._**


	20. To Save a Yamanaka

**Disclaimer: One day, one day, but not today. Don't own nothing *mutters angrily***

 **A/N: Well this was the most disturbing thing I've written all month. Which isn't saying much considering I like to write horror in my free time. But, uh, be warned this chapter gets a little messed up and angsty so, umm, yeah: TRIGGER WARNING!**

* * *

 _"Monsters are real, ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes they win."_

 _― Stephen King_

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Chapter 20: To Save a Yamanaka

Tamotsu pounded his fists against the darkness but it wouldn't give.

"Inoichi!" He slapped and scratched at the wall and felt his nails crack. "INOICHI!"

He knew he shouldn't have brought him here. Everything in him had said no. But the man had been so nice which was so much better than how he'd been treating him before. Not that Tamotsu would blame him. Inoichi had been very young at the time, it was only natural he'd forget him, but it didn't make it hurt any less. Then there was the fact that Inoichi had made him feel safe like he could not only face his fears but defeat them as well.

It had been a long time since someone had made him feel like that; to put all your faith in one person and to know they'd never let you down. With his teammates and family they all had each other backs, but to just let go and know that person wouldn't fail you? He'd missed that feeling, but he wasn't a child anymore even if his True Self was.

Tamotsu slumped down on the floor with a splash and pulled at his hair. He gave a cry of frustration before slumping down, his hands sinking beneath the steadily rising water. Kami, he _knew_ he shouldn't have let Inoichi go, let him trick him with too-nice smiles and words. Who knew what seal-san was doing with him? He trusted the seal not to hurt Inoichi, at least not physically. However, if anything were happen to Inoja's son under his care the man would have him clucking like a chicken for a month. Or worse, he'd turn him into a mindless vegetable.

He had to do something.

Tamotsu wiped his face and got up, walking away from the impenetrable void. He had to find a way to get in there. Seal-san appeared to be able to control and manipulate his mindscape since the two were linked. But this was _his_ brain, his only sanctuary from the outside world and like hell he was just gonna give it up, 'ttebaru!

That and the thought of what Inoja would do to him had him hurrying just a little faster.

Tamotsu was back in the small field of flower buds. He gazed at them and gently patted a few before veering off a little to the left. The grass here was greener and longer. There were even a few trees although they looked like they'd seen better days. Tamotsu walked past the trees and to the very back where one could hear something sizzling and cracking. There stood a tree bugger than the rest, but its branches were twisted and its bark was burnt and black. It was glowing a faint red.

Tamotsu sighed and placed his hand on the trunk. This is where his spiritual chakra was stored although this particular tree held a more volatile energy: the nine-tails chakra.

His normal chakra wasn't enough to override Seal-san's control and despite wanting nothing more than to rescue Inoichi, he just didn't have the will power. His clan were probably rolling around in their graves in outrage.

Tamotsu squeaked as the chakra began to enter his coils. The red chakra cocooned around him, whispering false promises of vengeance and tales of glory. Tamotsu gasped and clenched his eyes shut as the chakra cloak around him seeped into his skin. The leaves around them swirled around violently in rhythm to the boy's heartbeat. A flash of lighting accompanied by a thick crack of thunder filled the space.

Finally, the pain ebbed away. Tamotsu panted and shakily stood up, his body hunched over. A few minutes passed and his breathing finally calmed down to a decent pace. The redhead forced his back to straighten and took a step forward. Okay, he could do this. He had to. He knew it wasn't healthy or right for him to pretend like this part of him didn't exist. Maybe this is what Seal-san wanted. Or maybe the thing was just being it's crude self. He didn't know. Tamotsu flexed his fingers, orange chakra flickering around his fingers like flames. But he did know one thing.

Tamotsu's eyes snapped open, his slitted pupils dilating in the dim lighting.

Time to kick some ass.

SPACE SPACE SPACE AWKWARD SPACE

Inoichi tried everything he could to cut off the jutsu but the seal had somehow sealed off this part of the mind so his chakra had no effect. He was completely at its mercy.

And so Seal-san proceeded to drag him through every ungodly level in Tamotsu's head. Their feet made squelching noises as they made their way up the human mountain. Inoichi could only watch in unveiled horror and pity.

Tamotsu had had a rough childhood. He had been born the only eligible successor in the main family. The clanhead and his wife had been unable to conceive a child for years. Any hope that they procure an heir was slim. So in the meantime, the role was thrust upon Tamotsu as he was next in line for clanhead. This new responsibility put an immeasurable amount of pressure on his shoulders from a young age. Until the clanhead could produce an heir or heiress of his own Tamotsu would be brought up as the clan's heir. However, Tamotsu failed to meet the clan elder's expectations. He was constantly overshadowed by his cousins and even the non-clan children.

The clan Elder constantly hounded him and criticized his abysmal scores. Their enemies were numerous and in order to dissuade them from taking advantage of the small number they had to present an unwavering and fierce image. As future clan head Tamotsu had to build an impressive reputation or at least have the imposing presence to back up a bluff if needed.

However, Tamotsu could do neither. He was much too hesitant and weak to excel in his clan's brawling based taijutsu. He had too little chakra to perform anything higher than E-rank. His hand-to-eye coordination with weapons was laughable. His academic scores were average. So the clan committee paired him with an unforgiving sensei who never held back his punches nor his words. Perhaps if they broke him they could rebuild as something worthy of the clan head's titles. So that's just what they did.

Inoichi saw how Tamotsu spent many nights crying himself to sleep and playing off the bruises as childish carelessness to his parents. His fuinjutsu teachers were especially cruel, slapping his hands raw and til his knuckles bled whenever his kanji faltered.

The only light he had in his life was his understanding mother and his thoughtful father who adamantly reassured the boy of his worth and skill. Then they too were taken from him, such is the life of a ninja.

He was left alone in the care of a spiteful old woman who only saw the boy as a reminder of what she had lost, resembling her dead daughter too much for her liking. Inoichi felt his heart wrench as the boy spent the next two years mourning his parent's death under the elder Uzumaki's neglectful care.

He had already begun the academy at that point. His private tutors were dropped and the clan entrusted his education to the village, deeming him a lost cause. Now instead of malign teachers, he was met with bullying from his peers as his girlish looks and meager abilities brought him negative attention. Day in and day out, he forced to withstand the whispered taunts and teasing, much too subtle for the school teachers to catch on to. When the teachers all left they would push him around, calling him horrid names.

Then the grandmother who had wanted nothing to do with the child found him beaten and bloody at her doorstep. Tamotsu had simply smiled that false polite smile that had become second nature to him, not wanting to bother his grandmother. He knew she didn't want him either. Something changed in the boy's grandmother that day. Keiko began to care for the boy and soon the light returned to Tamotsu's life- she became his first precious person after so many years of being alone.

But the clan never failed to try and snuff out his light and they set forth impossible goals out of malice. The boy, instead of giving up like so many others had thought he would, simply smiled that smile and tried harder. He wouldn't dare bring shame upon his grandmother's name. He didn't want her to see him like the majority of the clan did- like a failure. He didn't think he could survive the rejection. So he buried his inner turmoil and anger deep within himself and pressed forwards.

But that hurt and hate only continued to grow, eventually taking form in this ugly part of Tamotsu's mindscape.

Inoichi was forced to relive the man's first kill, his depression, his shame, the dirty missions he'd been forced to take by the council, years of bullying, wishing that he would just die already, and worst of all- the annihilation of Uzushiogakure.

Kami, he could hear nothing but their screams. It was maddening.

Inoichi could do nothing but pray the seal would let him go. He would never be able to go one-on-one with the thing, not when it so obviously had control. Inochi could only hope that it would stop. He didn't think he could stand much more.

Finally, Seal-san stopped walking. They had reached the top of the grotesque hill. Inoichi's sigh of relief caught in his throat all to soon. A blast of self-loathing and guilt slammed itself against Inoichi's mental barriers. He was powerless to stop it as it tore down his walls and filtered in like hot lava. If it wasn't for Seal-san holding him up he would have collapsed onto the floor from the force of it. Inoichi's muffled cries echoed off the mountain top, his eyes glued to the image in front of him.

There in front of them was Tamotsu. Or at least a projection of himself. Inoichi could only stare in horror as the kneeling man rammed a small tanto over and over into stomach. His voice was hoarse and wracked with sobs as he cried.

"I'm so sorry. I-I failed you. Look at what I've done. Can't do anything r-right. Worthless. Should just die. F-Failure. Oh, how I've failed. I'm sorry. I don't, I can't do this anymore. Kill me already. Let me die. Die, die. So s-sorry." The man continued the same mantra, the sword squelching grotesquely with each plunge.

Inoichi turned his head when a spot of blood landed on his cheek. He couldn't watch the repeated suicide anymore.

"As you can see," Seal-san drawled almost lazily, "the brat's not exactly _okay_ in the head department, but I'm not the expert." His eery gaze pierced into Inoichi's. "You are. When we get out of this hellhole I want you to fix him. Can't have my host committing seppuku, amiright? Nod if you understand."

Inoichi was almost embarrassed with how eagerly he nodded.

Seal-san hummed in that gravelly tenor that would have sounded heavenly on anybody else, "Good because he just broke through my barrier seal."

Inoichi quirked his eyebrow up questionably. Seal-san never got the chance to elaborate because a blur of red slammed into his body. Inoichi was released from his grasp and he quickly jumped away from the threat. He wiped at his mouth in vain. He was completely soaked in blood. His stomach did a flip and he repressed the impulse to gag.

"SEAL-SAN! Just what do you think you're d-doing to Inoichi-sama, 'ttebaru!?" Tamotsu demanded, straddling the being's torso in his adult body. At least, he assumed it was Tamotsu and not his True Self. He looked healthier and he was dressed in standard shinobi attire. He looked nothing like the malnourished, fatigued man dressed in uniform too big for him.

The blood making up the seal's body quickly dissipated, leaving an ordinary looking man and not the terrifying monster he been masquerading as.

His tanned hands clamped onto Tamotsu's hips. The smaller squeaked at the sudden action. A lewd grin stretched Seal-san's mouth wide, showing off his sharpened teeth.

"Ooh, I didn't think you were into this kind of stuff," he teased then looked up with a thoughtful look. "Gotta admit, I definitely pegged you as a sub but maybe I was wrong. It's always the quiet ones they say."

"What are you t-talking about?" Tamotsu asked, confusion decorating his face.

Seal-san and Inoichi sweat-dropped.

The blonde cleared his throat, his fingers itching for a weapon.

"I think this would be the perfect opportunity for us leave. I'm done here."

Tamotsu got up and determinedly ignored the disturbing scene behind him. His other self-continued on in the background as he spoke.

"I-I believe that is a g-good idea." His face had lost its previous color and his voice came out breathless. He hated being here.

Seal-san stood up and clapped his hands together.

"Let me handle this, brat. I'll get us out of here in a second."

Tamotsu seemed reluctant, Inoichi even more so, but eventually, the redhead agreed.

The taller man grinned and gripped the pair's wrists. Seals appeared on his skin, visible because of the muscle shirt he wore, and in the blink of an eye, they were all piled haphazardly on the cozy armchair Inoichi had first appeared in.

"Yamanaka-sama, y-y-you're crushing m-my throat." Tamotsu wheezed from the bottom of the pile. Inoichi grunted and hurriedly untangled his arms from seal-san's legs.

Seal-san languidly got off and shrugged, "Yeah sorry about that. Still getting the hang of the whole mindscape thing. Never had to move more than myself before." He leaned his head to the side and cracked his neck loudly. "That and you tore through my seals pretty roughly. Popped my cherry like it was nothing. I seriously regret eating that stupid chakra."

Inoichi helped Tamotsu up and paused, looking at the other's eyes for the first time since he'd shown up. Oh. He got it now. The seal must have been responsible for absorbing the Kyuubi's chakra which resulted in the four whiskers and the ninja's now slitted pupils. Oh boy. The council was gonna have a field day with this guy.

Tamotsu sighed tiredly and turned to Inoichi.

"If you don't m-mind, Yamanaka-sama, if you're finished I-I would l-like to leave now."

The Yamanaka replied sullenly with a dirty look thrown at his ex-captor, "Me too, kid. Me too." He placed a hand on Tamotsu's forehead and they both felt a strong pull as they pulled into the real world.

Only to be greeted with complete and utter chaos.

When Tamotsu came to there were voices shouting over one another.

"-chakra's receding…!"

"…severe chakra exhaustion gotta get him to the med wing-"

Tamotsu blinked blearily as the bright lights assaulted his eyes. He tried moving but it was no use. Grunting, he tried harder this time. Nope. He couldn't even move his toes, much less his whole body.

 _"_ _They put some type of paralysis seal on you. How cute."_ Seal-san muttered amusedly. With the right concentration of chakra and he could render it useless. But they had to play their cards right just in case this whole thing went south. No use in revealing your hand at the start of the game.

Tamotsu's vision cleared and he saw a pale-faced Inoichi waving off a brown-haired medic.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Go check on...the kid..go...I'm fine, I'm fine." He mumbled sluggishly.

The man moved out of his immediate eyesight, leaving a very jittery sparrow-masked ANBU behind. He flipped a kunai through his flingers restlessly.

No one uttered so much as a peep. Tamotsu because he was sealed into silence and the ANBU because, well, he was an ANBU. Rarely seen and never heard- the perfect assassin.

"Move out of the way, ANBU-san." The medical kunoichi from before ordered and elbowed the frazzled man.

"Excuse me, um, I would advise against that the threat hasn't been cleared and he still dangerous uh-"

The unknown woman brushed his warning off, "Dangerous my ass. Now stand back or I'll report you to the Hokage for obstruction of medical care."

The ANBU quickly got out of the way.

The red-eyed woman smiled kindly down at Tamotsu. He wanted to smile back. She seemed familiar. The chakra cuffs kept his chakra from seeking hers out, but he knew that it would have felt familiar.

"Hey, Red, nice to see you awake." She kneeled next to him and held up her hands. _I Mean No Harm._ "My name is Ayumi Takemori and I'm just gonna check to make sure everything is okay. Blink twice if you understand."

Tamotsu blinked twice.

Ayumi summoned green chakra to her hands. She hesitated and drew her hands back slightly. What if he hurt her? What if the seal activated again and sucked her dry this time? Maybe she should have listened to Sparrow. The man had already taken out and evaded a whole squad of ANBU. Not to mention he'd just put the head of T&I for a whole week. But as she looked down at the man she could sense no threat. Not even an inkling of KI or anything.

Ayumi shook her head. Kami, she was being ridiculous. Besides, the dude was sealed up.

 _"Not that that stopped him last time."_ Her subconscious reminded. Ayumi frowned. Whatever. She'd be ready this time. Ayumi proceeded to search his system for any injuries or anomalies. Ayumi held back as his body accepted her chakra with ease. That shouldn't have happened, not while he was conscious and watching her. Despite the fact that she had tended to him for years and his body had grown accustomed to her chakra his conscious mind should have immediately tried to reject her chakra. But he had simply let her in, no fuss whatsoever. He trusted her.

Ayumi cleared her throat and fine-tuned her chakra. His chakra coils were severely burnt, but they were healing at a miraculous pace. In a few days, they'd be as good as new.

Ayumi pulled back her chakra and smiled with satisfaction.

"Your coil system suffered some damage but at the speed you're healing you should be back to normal in a few days. Just take it easy and no big jutsus." She gave him a pointed look.

Tamotsu blinked twice quickly.

A door behind him squeaked open.

"Sparrow, release Tamotsu." Sarutobi's voice commanded. When Sparrow didn't move immediately the Third's voice lowered. "That was an order, Sparrow."

Sparrow's shoulders slumped. He deactivated the seals and took off the cuffs before retreating back to the shadows with haste. Ayumi politely excused herself from the room.

 _"_ _I think we scared the crap out of that ANBU,"_ Seal-san said with no small amount of satisfaction.

The Hokage uprighted the fallen chair (how that happened he didn't want to know) of the interrogation room and sat down.

"Please sit down with me Tamotsu. There is much to talk about."

Tamotsu hurriedly got up only for his legs to give way, sending him back to the floor with an audible thud.

The Sandaime chuckled as the reddened man stumbled into the seat across from him.

"Firstly, I think you would be glad to know Inoichi cleared you. Welcome back, Uzumaki Tamotsu."

Tamotsu's blush deepened and he clumsily stood up, bowing deeply.

"T-Thank you, Hokage-sama."

The Third took out his pipe from who knows where and poured some tobacco.

"Enough with titles." He smiled and stuck the pipe in his mouth. "We've gone over this. Quite a few times, actually." He chuckled to himself.

"But it's disrespectful to call you anything other than what your position-"

"Tamotsu," The Third gave the younger man a look and watched as he wilted like a weed in front of him.

Tamotsu fingered a few strands of his coarse hair. He'd have to fix that.

"O-Okay," he looked at the grey-haired shinobi shyly, "Hiruzen-sama." The Sandaime sighed. Oh well, that was the best he was going to get.

"Inoichi has already informed me of what transpired within in your mindscape and I feel I must apologize for the way you woke up. Again."

Tamotsu's scratched his whiskered cheek in embarrassment. "I'm s-sorry it was my fault, anyways. I didn't know Kyuubi-sama's c-chakra was going to l-lash out like that, but it should purge the rest of i-it out of my system in a few hours." The chakra was probably the cause of the nin's facial scars and mutated eyes. Upon closer inspection, it seemed a touch of red had bled into Tamotsu's iris; but if what he said was true, his eyes would revert to their natural state soon. The Hokage was thankful that this was the extent of the Kyuubi's influence. He'd lost too many good ninjas to the Bijuu.

The Third took on an inquisitive air, "I see. I must admit I'm curious about this seal-san you and Inoichi have spoken so much about. I know you mentioned it in your earlier report but what else can you tell me about it?"

Tamotsu licked his lips and twisted his hands, "F-First I'd l-like to say on behalf of seal-san that he m-meant Yamanaka-sama no h-harm. He just wanted t-to scare him."

" _Scared him good I did."_ Seal-san cackled gleefully. Tamotsu pointedly ignored him which was beginning to get easier.

"And second, Seal-san is a 'he' not an 'it'."

"Very well. Go on," Hiruzen nodded in acknowledgment.

Tamotsu bit his lip, thinking upon all that he'd learned and gathered about his 'roommate'.

"W-Well like I-I said before he is the m-manifestation's of my s-seal's will. He bears no ill will towards any party or person."

The Hokage hummed thoughtfully, "Then what are his goals, his ambitions?"

Tamotsu frowned, thinking of a proper response. The seal remained quiet, curious at what his host would say.

"I think he simply wishes to l-live out his new life."

"Is that all?" Hiruzen turned his head and exhaled, the sweet smoke wafting around the small room.

"Hai."

The Third smiled. "Now I am sure you are concerned about Naruto." Tamotsu suddenly straightened and leaned in with a pitiful sort of desperation in his blue eyes. The elderly man internally winced. This conversation wasn't going to end nicely by the looks of it. "The boy is fine, but I must know, Tamotsu-chan, what are your intentions with the child?"

Tamotsu moved back and frowned in puzzlement. "What do you m-mean?"

Sarutobi sighed, "What do you intend upon doing once you've gained guardianship Naruto? Will you return to your homeland with the boy? It would be within your rights as his guardian to take him back to Uzushiogakure."

Tamotsu's eyes took on a haunted look, his vulpine-like pupils making the look even more daunting.

"No," he said tonelessly, "Uzu is g-gone. I will not be returning. M-Maybe when Naruto is older, but not n-now."

The Hokage nodded, swallowing the sudden bout of guilt at the reminder that the great village was no more. All but erased from the history books (by order of the council) and beginning to fade from the newer generations memories.

"I understand, Tamotsu. Do you intend on staying in Konoha then?" The man had every right to just leave without taking a second look back at the village that had made a pariah out of Kushina and Naruto. If a good enough fight was made and the proper papers filled out, he could take the jinchuuriki with him. Thus, leaving the Leaf Village at a great disadvantage military-wise in the eyes of her enemies.

Tamotsu pursed his lips. He could never go back to the place where he was born. Maybe one day, when Naruto was older like he'd told the Hokage. But right now he couldn't bear to see his once proud village now reduced to trash. The loss was too fresh and he feared he'd never recover from the pain of it all. So in the meantime, he would stay here in Konoha, his second home, and look after Naruto like Kushina had practically begged him to do. Not that she had to. Tamotsu would have done it anyway even if she hadn't asked.

"Y-Yes, I will remain in Konoha for the time b-being." His face suddenly brightened. "Oh! I almost forgot! Is Tsunade in the village? I thought I could stay with her and Nawaki-chan while everything gets...sorted...out..." Tamotsu trailed. Something wasn't right.

 _"Why is h-he l-l-looking at me like that!?"_ Tamotsu internally panicked.

 _"Tamotsu,"_ the seal said, uncharacteristically soft, _"wasn't there a war going before you left?"_

"O-Oh Kami, no, no," Tamotsu held his head in his hands, his whole body trembled violently. Hiruzen watched on silently. Tamotsu had lost too much, too soon. He may be one of Uzu's fiercest jonins, but the man was fragile in other ways, his heart too big and caring for such a cruel profession.

Hiruzen reached over across the table and gripped the other shinobi's hand.

"Tamotsu-" He was interrupted, however, by the redhead.

"What did we lose?" He lifted his head, tears pouring down his flushed face, "How much more can _I_ lose? When w-will it be enough!? How can war justify this? All this d-death!? How could you stand back and let this happen?" His normally soft snapped harshly at the end, wrenching his hand free from the old man's hold and slamming it upon the metal table.

Hiruzen remained quiet. Tamotsu gave a garbled cry at the lack of response. He dropped in his head into hands and breathed loudly for a few minutes. The tension in the room was thick. It was suffocating.

Finally, the redhead had calmed himself down and looked back up the Sandaime. His face was wet and blotched, but he was no longer crying.

"P-Please," Tamotsu croaked, "tell me what happened. I need to know."

Hiruzen withheld a sigh. He was old and wrung out for this. But Tamotsu deserved to know. So he recounted the Senju clan's near extinction by the end of the Second Shinobi World War, Nawaki's death not too long after Uzu fell, Mito's death after the sealing of the Kyuubi, Tsunade's disillusionment after losing her brother and boyfriend, then her eventual abandonment of the village, Orochimaru's betrayal, and the Jiraiya leaving the village to form his spy network.

The Third gave the man time to process everything. It was a lot to take in. He prayed the young nin wouldn't break under the weight of it all.

Tamotsu sighed shakily, "But they're still alive, right? They're okay?"

Hiruzen nodded, "Yes, they're a fine as you can expect, what with Jiaraya antics and Tsunade's temper." He chuckled. Tamotsu's lip twitched upwards. "Orochimaru...we haven't been able to locate him for some time. Kami knows what that _boy_ is doing." The Hokage muttered darkly. Tamotsu chose not to comment. Yes, Orochimaru had been an oddball- reserved and a little callous at times, but he'd been such an _eager_ thing. Paying rapt attention to Tamotsu whenever began to explain the composition and function of some seal. The boy was a sponger, soaking up whatever knowledge that was imparted to him. Guess, that thirst grew uncontrollable till nothing could satisfy him.

"Will I s-still be welcome at the compound?" Tamotsu asked hesitantly. Hiruzen inhaled through his pipe and exhaled, a small smile forming on lips.

"I don't see why not. They're still your family, after all. Ties like that are not easily broken nor are they forgotten."

Tamotsu nodded. The two sat in companionable silence. Tamotsu fisted and unfisted his hospital gown, his troubled mind slowly calming as he listened the older man puff on his pipe. The smell was bitter, but was made tolerable by the sweet after-smell. He'd missed this. Hiruzen had a smoker since he'd met him. This was familiar to him. While the world had changed so rapidly at least he had this constant in his life.

"Hiruzen-sama," The Uzu shinobi prompted, "about N-Naruto..."

The Third pulled his pipe away, "Yes, what about young Naruto?"

"I w-would like to adopt him as m-my own."

Horizon glanced up at the ceiling for a split second.

" _Kami-sama, why me? Damn you, Minato! Shame on you for leaving an old man with your messes."_

He looked back at the determined little thing sitting in front of him.

"I am afraid that is not possible."

Tamotsu's entire body twitched and his eyes narrowed. He clasped his hands in front of him.

With false calm, he asked in that sweet voice of his, "Why not, _Hiruzen-chan~_?" There was no stutter.

Sarutobi knew he was in some deep shit now. He placed his pipe down on the table with a dull clank. He ran a hand down his face tiredly.

"Perhaps we might take this discussion to my office?"

Tamotsu's look hardened, his mouth set in a thin line.

"Yes, let's."

The Hokage cursed silently as the two bodies flickered to his office.

Tamotsu blinked in surprise at the sudden shift in scenery. He took a seat in one of thestautschairs placed in front of the Hokage's desk at his old friend's request. The privacy seals flared as the kage activated them.

Tamotsu carefully controlled his emotions, keeping his KI in check, less he startle the Hokage's private guard. He thanked the years of gruesome training sessions and his work as a diplomat. Without it he would have surely blown up _something_ in a fit of anger. How could Hiruzen say that to him? What about it was 'not possible'? Was it the statusas a jinchuuriki? Was that it? Or did the old man still doubt his indentity?

Nothing was impossible. His clan made that their unofficial profession- to prove the impossible, possible. Nothing, not even the Shinigami could stop him from placing Kushina's legacy under his care. But by the forlorn look on the other's wrinkled face, it seemed he knew something he did not.

 _"_ _Hey, period-head!"_ Seal-san snapped. Tamotsu tuned in to his voice. _"I think I know where the old pervert is going with this so rest your breasts and do us all a favor and put those claws away, kitty."_

Tamotsu's posture relaxed slightly and he settled his hands in his lap.

 _"_ _I will t-trust your judgment."_ He agreed and paid attention as the veteran ninja began to speak.

"Allow me to explain. While you passed the interrogation and proved yourself to be who you are, Inoichi has brought up some troubling information that will affect how you continue from this point onwards."

Tamotsu's passive mask broke and he bit his lip and looked down. Yes, he remembered what had happened in his mind. What Inoichi had seen was…beyond unsettling, even for ninja standards.

Hiruzen looked torn, "You are a broken man, Tamotsu. You display many troubling symptoms of serious illnesses. It is Inoichi's professional opinion that, should you wish to be instituted as a offcial shinobi of Konoha, you be taken off the active shinobi roster as you show multiple severe signs of a panic disorder, severe PTSD, and suicidal tendencies. You are a liability as a ninja."

Tamotsu ducked his head and nodded, tears gathering in his eyes. No! He wouldn't cry! He should have known all this would happen. Kami, how stupid could he be? to think that he could just waltz in, scoop up Naruto, and just continue existing. Useless, pathetic, naive, that's what he was. He couldn't even bring himself to argue with the shinobi across from him. He knew deep down that everything wasn't okay with him and he was more likely to get any future teams killed rather than helping them.

"As such you're not in the right state of mind to be caring for a child. Naruto-kun ha proven to be a handful just like Kushina was at his age." Tamotsu sniffed and rakced a smile at that. Kushina had been more than a handful. She'd been the literal reincarnation of a tailed beast, leaving destruction and misery in her wake. Well, those had been his aunt's words. Tamotsu had loved her to bits. Even when she barfed on him or when she'd accideantally burned his eyebrows off. His aunt had been a truly strong woman, being the only one tough enough to wrangle Kushina in.

Strength, however, was not something he possessed at the moment, so he was forced to agree with the Hokage's assessment. He was a mess. A sloppy, depressed goop of a man. What kind of man did that make him? One that couldn't even fulfill the final wishes of his loved ones? How could he protect Naruto if he couldn't even take care of himself?

Hiruzen reached over and placed, what he hoped to be, a comforting hand on the other's shoulder. He knew from experience that Tamotsu had issues and he tended to take the blame for many things. He wouldn't let that happen here.

"But that does not mean you cannot get better. Inoichi has personally offered his assistance. Please take it, if not for yourself then do it for those around you. For Naruto."

Tamotsu wiped his face and nodded slightly.

"H-Hai. Yamanaka-sama is very k-kind."

The Third smiled in relief. How many broken shinobi had he summoned to his office and only for them to leave, stubbornly refusing help? Only for him to have to resort his emegerncy plan and have them removed from the roster, watching them flail around with their lives as they tried to adjust to civilian life. Hatake Kakashi was a good example. If he hadn't quit ANBU last year Sarutobi would have yanked the young man out himself. But he feared it was too late. Kakashi, despite wanting to get better, denied any assistance offered to him and hardly interacted with his peers and spent an unhealthy amount of time stalking a certain blonde.

The Hokage smirked imperceptibly and rubbed a bit of tobacco leaves between his fingers. It might be risky putting such unstable and differing shinobi together, but perhaps the two could benefit from each other. The two were mostly the same age and would do them both good to have a friend around thier same age, espcially for Tamotsu, seeing as everyone had grown up wuthout him.

Yes, they were practically complete opposites: One being emotional, the other having the emotional complexity of a rock, one a child prodigy and the other barely managing to pass the academy, etc. Yet, if one thought about it deeply, they were rather alike. Each one carrying an heavy burden, made a pariah in thierown village. He nodded to himself, feeling rather proud. Yes, he'd find a way to introduce the two.

"However," the Third started with a mischievous tone. Tamotsu's head shot up and he shot the older man a wary look. Nothing good (usually for the bathhouses) ever came from that tone. "Inoichi has agreed not to disclose this information. The council will be none the wiser. Thus, making it near impossible to reject your adoption of one Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto."

Tamotsu's eyes widened and his mouth opened and closed soundlessly as he fumbled for words. The Hokage smiled smugly and patiently waited for the man to gather his wits.

Tamotsu hands waved around him wildily as he spoke, "W-Why would y-you, I-I mean, um, I-I," he swallowed and brushed back his bangs with a trembling hand, "what I-I mean to say is, um, why would y-you do that for m-me? Won't you g-get in trouble for l-lying to the council?"

Hiruzen shrugged, feeling younger than he actually was. Tamotsu brought that side of him out. He thought the long years of war and work had snuffed out his rebellious spirit. Guess not.

"No, it won't be lying just withholding certain details."

Tamotsu gave him a look that the man had given him and Jiraiya many, many times.

"Lying, Hiruzen-chan. That's called lying."

Hiruzen puffed on his pipe, "Depends on how one perceives it." Tamotsu sighed in exasperation in repsonse.

"There is something I must tell you, once word of Naruto's adoption reaches the village's ears, people will start to ask questions." Tamotsu nodded. "It will be difficult. You may be questioned, insulted, and even provoked. Jinchuuiki's and those they associate with are not treated kindly, as is the world."

"I know," Tamotsu said quietly.

Hiruzen nodded, "Speaking of chatter, up until this point Naruto's heritage has been kept a secret, his surname given to him in 'honor' of Kushina. As such, no one truly knows who his parents are, not even himself, to protect him from those that would wish to destroy what he represents."

The redhead agreed, "Yes, m-my clan's enemies would have stopped at nothing to ensure it's extinction. If they'd discovered he was not only the son to the Uzumaki's heiress but also to that of your fourth Hokage, I fear he w-would not have s-survived infancy." He concluded.

"Exactly, which is why, should you wish to go through with this, you must undertand just exactly how much danger this all poses to the both of you. But," The Hokage smiled proudly and leaned back in his chair, "what's there to worry about when Naruto's uncle is none other The Uzumaki's Zombie Kuniochi, hm?"

Tamotsu groaned, "R-Really, Hiruzen-sama? I thought we were being serious!"

The grey haired shinobi chuckled. He soon sombered up, "I assume you knew this already, though? I bid you from here on out, tread very carefully, Tamotsu. This is still war."

"I know," Tamotsu said softly, "but I-I made a p-promise and I _swear_ I'll make sure Naruto lives long past retirement."

"Would you be willing to risk your life for him?" Hiruzen asked somberly. "There's a entire great ninja village that would rally if they got so much as a whiff of even a rumor of there being a potential progeny of Minato's."

Tamotsu chuckled, the sound coming out hollow, "Ah, that's n-nothing compared to three or f-four villages coming after you."

"I suppose so." The Sandiame agreed.

The two shinobi delved into an amiable silence. The only sound was the humming of the privacy seals and the Hokage's pipe.

"I have not f-forgotten," Tamotsu's voice was soft, accusing, "I do n-not hold it against the village, but this has g-gone on for far too long." The Third slowly put down his pipe. The young shinobi's chakra leaked out, his ire quite apparent.

"C-Call for a meeting." His voice held no room for objection. "There are some things I must _correct_."

Sarutobi simply nodded. This had been long overdue. Twenty-two odd years he'd waited for this moment. If not for Kushina, then for Naruto.

Tamotsu blew air through his nose and stood up abruptly. He needed some space. The seal wisely stayed quiet and retreated deep into the mindscape. Tamotsu took a seat on the couch by the wall next to a healthy little plant.

A moment later the old man disabled the privacy seals and called for his secretary to summon the council for a mandatory meeting.

Sarutobi glanced to where the young man was pouting at the potted plant next to him. Maybe he would never be able to atone for his sins committed against Konoha's greatest ally, but he liked to think this was a good start.

He just hoped the council room would come out unscathed. That was some expensive mahogany! Oh, their members too. Because if the Uzumaki's were known for something, other than their red hair and fuuinjutsu, it was their monstrous tempers. A rage so powerful it'd once brought the world its knees; capable of destroying countries and making even the strongest ninjas doubt themselves.

 _"_ _The council won't know what hit them."_ He thought, with a childish sense of glee. Now they'd finally understand why it was Mito Uzumaki and not Hashirama that should have been feared.


	21. Wrath of an Uzumaki

**Disclaimer: Nope. Still not a millionaire. Naruto ain't mine.**

 **A/N: Whoo! Sorry for the wait! My laptop is busted (poor guy just died on me), but luckily I found an old copy of this fic hidden in my google docs so yay! Update! So on that note, I probs won't be able to update for a while until I get my handy dandy laptop fixed as the chapters for this fic are lost in there.**

* * *

 _"Redemption is a funny thing. Even if we don't ask for it—even if we don't think we want it—sometimes we seek it out. In our words and our actions. Because something drives us to make right the things that we did. It's what allows us to keep living with ourselves."_

\- Obie Williams

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Chapter 21: Wrath of an Uzumaki

The Sandaime occupied himself with slowly shifting through the giant piles of papers dominating his desk. Forget SS-class ninjas. The real threat was these white, papery devils.

Tamotsu had cooled down and was more or less back to his timid self. He squirmed on the couch and futilely tugged at his short hospital gown. Hiruzen, having sensed his predicament, had ordered one of his ANBU to retrieve his things. They'd been confiscated the moment they took him in and placed in storage ever since.

The pink kimono Tamotsu had been found in was unsalvageable, covered in blood, sweat, mud, and not to mention a giant hole. Luckily his special sealing scroll had remained intact. The paper was yellow and ripped in some places but it was still functional. He'd have to replace that soon, though.

Tamotsu placed his hand on the giant scroll and was pleased when his chakra activated the correct seal. He used the resulting smoke to quickly change and was satisfied to finally be out of the bland hospital issued clothing.

He now bore his customary jounin outfit. It consisted of a mesh shirt covered in strengthening seals, a dark grey t-shirt on top of that, and the standard jounin vest but with considerably more pockets that he used to house extra ink pots and brushes; plus it was burgundy instead of that _gross_ green. On his back was his clan's symbol: a white swirl.

Below that he wore dark gray tights with more pouches secured around his waist that held his weapons and the standard blue ninja sandals that pretty much every self-respecting ninja owned. Because of his clumsy and trouble-magnet status, the rest of his legs and arms were completely wrapped in bandages. To top it all off was a black band keeping his hair tied in a ponytail, his precious black hairclip parting his bangs, and his forehead protector peeking out from behind said bangs. The spiral shined brightly in the sun through the slight rust.

Tamotsu sighed. He was going to miss his pink battle kimono. Maybe after all this was done he could go out and buy a new one?

 _"You gotta be kidding me."_ The seal muttered in exasperation. Tamotsu sat down and idly watched the Hokage gallantly scribble away.

 _"But that's m-my favorite ninja outfit. Baa-chan gave me my f-first one when graduated f-from the academy as a present."_ He replied, placing his hands in his lap and turning his gaze to the window. The village was beautiful, the sun high up and blazing proudly for all to see. It looked to be mid-morning. Had so little time passed since he first woke up? The day had felt much longer.

 _"Thank Kami that the original got burned in that katon jutsu. I don't how you can stand all that_ ** _pink_** _. Ew."_

Tamotsu blinked then narrowed his eyes suspiciously. _"How do you know that? That happened when I was a genin."_

The voice snorted, _"I'm a part of your consciousness now, gaki. There's not much to do in here."_

The man winced, _"Oh. That's…disconcerting…"_ Would he ever get any privacy?

 _"Calm your tits, sweetheart,"_ Seal-san muttered playfully. Tamotsu blushed. _"I'm not going to spend the rest of my wretched existence looking through every single humiliating memory you have."_

Tamotsu sighed. He supposed he could live with that.

The Hokage's secretary poked her head in and smiled, her gaze wavering when she spotted Tamotsu.

"The council has been assembled, Hokage-sama. They're ready for you now."

Sarutobi thanked the woman, dismissing her in the process. She ducked her head humbly but not without sparing Tamotsu one more glance. The man tilted his head confusedly. Had he said something? No, that couldn't be it he'd hadn't spoken a word other than to thank the Hokage for his things. Maybe he knew her from his time before? No, he couldn't recall ever seeing her before and he was pretty good at remembering faces. Names were a different story all together, though. Maybe it was because he was a foreigner-

 _"It's your new, ahem, 'accessories'. Take out a kunai and have a looksie."_ The seal quipped helpfully. Tamotsu blinked and took out a kunai from his pouch. His eyes widened as he stared at his reflection.

 _"Oh Kami. I look….dreadful…oh my…"_ He thoughts teetered off as he took in his full appearance. His eye color was still that same foggy blue, but he had pupils…oh dear. The sudden, intense influx of the bijuu's chakra had given him the beast's slitted pupils. Added with the now permanent whisker-like scars on his face and his spiky red hair he looked like the Kyuubi reincarnate.

 _"We look the fuzzball's bastardized version of a human henge."_

A meek whimper escaped his throat as Tamotsu agreed.

 _"C-Can you fix it?"_

Seal-san muttered a few choice curses and left to go back in their shared mindscape. He went past the field of flowers and to the trees that represented the shinobi's spiritual chakra

 _"Yeah, I think I can…if I wrangle in the fucking stuff that's left in here, but your body has to completely get rid of the bastard fox's chakra that's already in your system first before I can start. You still have some of the gunk in your coils."_

Tamotsu sighed, watching as the vulpine-like pupils became wider with relief.

The Hokage spoke up from his side and Tamotsu almost got whiplash from how hard he turned.

 _"Shit!"_ The seal cursed. _"The old codger moves faaaast. You didn't even sense him."_

 _"His sensei was the f-first to dabble in teleportation jutsus outside of my clan."_ Tamotsu supplied. _"I suppose old age has not a-affected his skills. Besides I'm not a sensor nin."_

Tamotsu felt him shrug, _"Not an official sensor nin but you're not too shabby. A little training and even a pansy like you could become one."_

Tamotsu restrained the urge to frown at the insult and thanked him, tuning in to the Hokage.

"Don't fret over your appearance, Tamotsu-chan." The old man said kindly. "It will not change who you are."

Tamotsu put away the kunai and nodded shyly. The Hokage was right. Just because he looked like something out of a horror manga didn't mean that he was a monster.

 _"Hey. I wouldn't quite dismiss that thought. You_ ** _are_** _a zombie. Or as close to one as a human will ever get."_

Tamotsu deadpanned, _"Thank you, seal-san, for your comforting words."_

 _"Don't fucking mention it, brat. Can't have you messing with my rep."_

Hiruzen gave the jounin a reassuring pat on the shoulder and began walking out the doors.

"It is not wise to keep the council waiting." The elder advised without looking back.

With those few words, Tamotsu"s earlier ire resurfaced. Served the group of greedy old farts right. Let them suffer. The seal agreed completely, adding in its own two cents worth of insults.

As the two walked Tamotsu remained a respectful distance away. Always staying three steps behind the shorter man. Even though they'd known each other for years the other ninja was still a kage and thus deserved his utmost respect.

The doors to the council room opened. The Hokage took his customary seat at the head of the council table. Tamotsu apprehensively sat on the empty seat to his right. He gulped nervously and pulled at the collar of his vest. Was it always this hot in Konoha?

Yes, he was still angry, but being in a room full of Konoha's most influential people would fray anybody's nerves, ninja or not. All the experience he'd collected as a diplomat mattered very little when everyone was intently watching him, trying to determine who he was and if he was a threat or not.

 _"You're not some random country bumpkin, brat."_ The seal rumbled, its deep voice reassuring in the presence of so many powerful men and women. _"You're Uzumaki Tamotsu. Zombie Kunoichi. Possessor of the Kanzen Tentai. You've survived more shit storms than any Uzumaki before you and you came out as white as toilet paper."_ Tamotsu's mouth shook as he bit a smile at that last one. _"Besides you got the Ho-freaking-kage backing you up."_

Tamotsu took in a breath, held it, and slowly let it out to calm himself. Yes, seal-san was right. He wasn't just another faceless jounin. He was Tamotsu Uzumaki, fuuinjutsu master and the feared Zombie Kunoichi of Uzu.

 _"That's it, kitty."_ The seal said fondly. _"Show these fuckers those claws."_

Tamotsu turned his head to the side to hide his smile.

Besides if things started going south he had a Plan B. A sort of trump card if you will. He just needed some time to fine tune it.

The Hokage called the meeting to order and the room quietly settled. Tamotsu nervously fingered his hair, rubbing the strands together and taking comfort in the _'crisp crisp'_ sound it made. Maybe calling for a meeting had been a bit drastic? Perhaps he could call it off-

His chest pinged painfully when the seal sent a burst of concentrated chakra. Okay, you know what nevermind. He was good. He could do this. Yup. No pressure. The Hokage would have never allowed it if it had just been something he declared on a whim.

"Hokage-sama," Inoichi addressed respectfully after the silence had dragged on a little too long, "May I ask the occasion for which you summoned the council with such urgency?" His gaze flickered to Tamotsu. His face was stoic but his eyes weren't as harsh as they normally were.

Tamotsu felt a little better, knowing he had at least two people backing him up.

The redhead spared a quick look around. Most, if not all, the faces were new to him. Curiously the Hatake and Senju clan chairs were absent. Tamotsu frowned and something unpleasant stirred in his stomach, but he let it go. He would ask Sandaime about it later.

Hiruzen nodded, "Yes, you may." His gaze then fell upon the anxious form of Tamotsu. "Please, Tamotsu-chan, introduce yourself and the purpose of the meeting you _requested_." The word 'requested' was spoken with lace of amusement and the Third's lips pulled up into a brief smirk. Tamotsu blushed and shakily stood up. Well, if he was honest, he had practically ordered a kage around. His blush deepened.

 _"I can't believe I did that."_ He scratched his cheek embarrassedly as the entire council stared up at him. He turned to face the elderly man who simply nodded encouragingly, cheering silently. For what Tamotsu had no clue.

The obvious familiarity between the two and the Sandaime subtle fondness for the mysterious shinobi did not go unnoticed by the council, but their guard remained firm if slightly more resolved.

Shikaku studied the man, the _very_ feminine man, closely. But what most struck out to him was the redhead's headband. He would have missed the symbol completely due to the man's long bangs, but when Tamotsu had turned to face the Hokage the action had lifted his hair, exposing the headband for just half a second. But half a second was an eternity in the eyes of an attentive Nara.

The Nara clan head smirked and settled back into his chair for a show.

"This'll be interesting." He murmured. Chouza gave him a puzzled look but sat up, paying closer attention than he had before. Years of the Nara's best friend had taught Chouza that when a Nara found something 'interesting' it would be nothing short of momentous- like watching the season finale of those soap operas he, er, his wife was so fond of.

Inoichi sighed at his lazy friend, but couldn't help but agree. Anything concerning the notorious clan of rebellious redheads was certain to put on a good show.

"Ah, yes, I-I apologize for calling you in so a-abruptly." Tamotsu bowed politely, a wavering smile on his face as he tried not to pass out.

Hiashi internally grimaced. Who was this stuttering fool who thought himself so important to call upon them like dogs?

 _"Okay, screw this. RIGHT when I think you have some balls you go and pull a stunt like this."_

 _"What do you m-mean, seal-san?"_ Tamotsu thought in confusion. The seal screamed in frustration. Kami, he was going to kill himself, no, he was going to erase himself from existence. Why was this man _so so so_ GAH! He couldn't find a word that had wuss, spineless little shit, and fucking nervous wreck wrapped into one neat package. Because that's what Tamotsu was. Throw him into the battlefield and he became something to fear. Toss him into a room full of people and _he_ became the one that feared. Gah, social anxiety. The seal would never understand it.

 _"Just remember Naruto, okay?"_ The name echoed throughout the man's mind. Tamotsu's anxious smile stilled and became firm if somewhat forced. He quickly straightened, his ponytail slapping his back. Tamotsu was careful to keep his eyes closed lest they see what he was _really_ feeling underneath his pleasant mask.

The seal smirked, _"Much better."_

He would right the wrongs made against his family. Starting with Naruto.

Tamotsu's whispery voice floated through the room as he introduced himself, giving the room a creepy vibe that has all the civilians gulping nervously. The shinobi in the room felt the hair on the back of their necks rise and faint alarm bells began dinging inside their heads. Their instincts screamed for them to _run_.

Tamotsu's smile only grew as all the pieces of his plan finally came together. His trump card was ready.

"Uzushiogakure's Zombie Kunoichi," the name niggled at the back of the all the present shinobi's minds. Even Shikaku Nara could not remember where he'd heard it from, but he knew to be wary especially when the fallen village was involved, "and the Uzumaki clan's temporary clan head at your s-service."

And just like that the room dissolved into pandemonium: people demanding proof, cries of outrage, and _lots_ of questions.

 _"You damn Uzumakis and your melodramas,"_ The seal muttered, but Tamotsu could feel it's glee as the once quiet room erupted in a havoc of incredulous shouts.

The Third Hokage's mouth twitched as he held his laughter. He allowed himself to lean back against his seat. Inoichi caught his eyes, an amused look in his eyes. Oh yeah, this was going to be good.

Danzo glanced at the two suspiciously before returning back to Tamotsu with narrowed eyes.

 _"An Uzumaki? And from the main family, no less."_ he scowled. Danzo had plotted and waited too long for some brat to shift the balance like it was some game. He was going to finish the Uzumaki off himself if he continued to pester him. Or, Danzo hid a sneer, he'd just have to sway the ninja to his side whether the other wanted to or not was of little consequence.

Seal-san shuddered from within Tamotsu's mind.

 _"The fuck?"_ He muttered. He shook his head and dismissed the odd sensation that crept up his back. He melded his senses with Tamotsu's and grinned, watching the stupid faces all around them. His gleeful cackle bounced around the redhead's mind like an over-inflated soccer ball.

 _"We're going to have so much fun, me and you, brat."_ The seal's grin spread, taking over the majority of his face. _"So much fun."_


End file.
